Grave Digger
by JamieTyler
Summary: The Hardy's go to help a friend of a friend and end up needing help themselves. Graphic at times not for the weak stomached. Rating will change as story progresses.
1. Prologe

**Alrighty, this is my next masterpice caugh, caugh and it's set after Pine Box, so you may want to read (and reviwe) that first. This one may have a little Nancy and Frank in it, if i feel like it. It has a few OCs, the main one is Missy Woo, a 22 year old PI.**

**Enjoy and reviwe please.**

**Grave Digger**

**Prolog:**

"_Another disrupted grave was found in Hillside Cemetery in the suburbs of Wales City Maryland, leavening officers about six days to find the perpetrator before another victim is found. For the last two months a grave robber, dubbed the 'Grave Digger,' has been suspected of robbing graves of their deceased occupants and then kidnapping look a likes and killing them. To date there has been eight deaths since the body of Amy Lewis was found in an abandoned factory with the stolen body. Police are baffled as how to 'get into his head' as psychologist say, because there is no apparent pattern…."_

There was a flash of bluish light that disrupted the darkness in the bleak room. The TV was turned off and the man was left standing in the dark.

"Time to go and get my other guest…."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Seven days latter.

"Hey Woodrow, what are you doing here?" barked Detective Leroy Jenkins, a short muscular man with brownish hair and tan skin. He was a work out junkie, "my body is a temple", no nonsense kind of guy and made up with brains what he lacked in charm.

"It's my case too Jenkins I'm working for the families and have permission from Mayor Thomas," chimed the five foot, red haired, blue eyed twenty year old in front of him.

The two squared off in front of an old factory, over grown, littered, and rotted through. Above them a line car rattled by. It was a cold, gray lonely place, the kind that always seemed to suck your sprit and leave you feeling dirty. The only light seemed to come from the dozen or so police cars and coroner unit that dotted the area.

"Melissa, this guy is crazy and gets crazier every day…" the elder man said, slouching his shoulders in defeat.

"Why Leroy, is that concern I hear?" Melissa said, flashing him a smile.

"Melissa, I know you and I know what you'll do given the chance. Would you consider a partner, just this once?"

"What? And cramp my style? Who're our victoms?" she said, already starting to walk towards the factory and putting on latex gloves.

"Victims?" Jenkins asked. Following her.

"Well, the deceased didn't ask to be dug up. I bet you they were resting comfortably and didn't enjoy being disturbed."

"You're wired kid. As we suspected it's Henry Marks, he died about three months ago. In fact that's him being loaded into the coroner's van right now," Jenkins said pointing to two med techs who were lifting a gurney in to a black van.

"And the second?"

"As of now, a twenty three year old, blond haired, blue eyed female. Between five foot six and five foot eight, and weighing about a hundred and sixty pounds give or take. She's been here about a day, no decay though. The beauty of November."

"Who found him?"

"Couple of run-a-ways is my guess. Anonymous tip called in at about ten this morning."

The pair entered the factory, where younger cops were fleeing from, and even some of the older ones were looking green and pale.

"How'd she die?" Melissa asked as she looked a round at the cops, a knot forming in her stomach.

"To much damage to tell, her face is untouched just like the last one though."

"Was she…?"

"Assaulted? Yeah, just like the last gal."

Jenkins led her to a far corner of the factory where a medical examiner and a couple of the CSI (no this is not a crossover) gathered.

"Talk to me Grace," Melissa said as she approached.

"Not much to tell yet. She's been gutted, stabbed, and so on…" Grace was interrupted by a small gasp from Melissa.

"Yeah, I know it's bad…" Jenkins said as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"No, it's not that she looks…" Melissa drifted off as she approached the body and gently began to search, lifting the head. "Hey Jenkins, get a few shots of this," Melissa said nodding down to a piece of paper that had been reviled. A tech snapped a few shots of the letter.

"Ok, you're clear," he said as he stepped back.

"Thanks," Melissa said as she pulled the paper towards her and unfolded it.

"_You've been watching me, well I've been watching you…what could all this watching lead too? A present for you my dear, doesn't it make you want to shed a tear? Woe to you Missy Woo."_

Melissa paled and shakily handed the note to Jenkins. As Jenkins read with Grace looking over his shoulder, Melissa took a closer look at the body, a new sense of dread filling her.

The hair was blond, a strawberry blond. The lifeless eyes gazing up at her had once been a vibrant blue. And the skin, though now pale, had once given the woman a healthy glow. The shape of her face was familiar now, and the size of the woman and shape of her body sent memories flowing through Melissa's mind.

"Oh god…" she breathed as she moved in closer, attracting Jenkins' and Grace's attention.

"What is it Missy?" Grace asked, concern lining her voice as she looked at the ridged form in front of her.

Melissa ignored her as she searched the body with her eyes looking for anything to prove her wrong, and then there it was. A few stands of brown hair hidden under the blond.

"She's not a natural blond, and probably not twenty three. I'd put her age closer to nineteen, she's just mature," Melissa said with more then a little relief in her voice.

"Melissa what's wrong?" Jenkins asked gently, seeing the relief that flooded her.

"He knows me…he knows who my friends are and what they look like…he's been in my house…." Melissa said calmly.

"How do you know that? What are you talking about?" Jenkins asked, looking at the woman to Melissa, back to the woman.

"She looks just like Nancy Drew. He wouldn't know that Nancy was one of my best friends if he hadn't been in my house."

"Maybe he was just guessing….maybe he just thought seeing another detective…" Grace said but drifted off when she looked at the note still in Jenkins hand.

Jenkins didn't by it. "That's it Melissa, this guy's targeted you! You ether get off this case or you get a partner, got it?"

"I got it Jenkins, I'll get a partner. I'll get one…" Melissa said as she pulled her coat closer around her trying to protect herself from the icy wind.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Ring. Ring._

"Hardy residence, Frank speaking."

"_Hey handsome, what you up to?"_

"Oh, hey Drew! Nothing much, you?"

"_Just wrapping up a case here, the usual…hey listen; I got a favor to ask of the Hardy Detective Agency."_

"Ha, ha, you should be a comedian. Shoot."

"_A friend of mine, Melissa Woodrow, needs help. Melissa's a licensed PI on retainer for the city of Wales in Maryland…"_

"The City of Wales? She wouldn't be working on the Grave Digger case?"

"_The one and only…man you are good."_

"Ha, ha, what do you need?"

"_The guy's getting to close for comfort, and she's want someone to help her. And since I have this case going…"_

"Don't worry about it Drew, Joe and I are itching for a mystery. We'll be more then willing to help."

"_Thanks Frank. Thank you so much."_

"Anytime…who're we looking for?"

"_Melissa Woodrow, you can find her at the Wales Police Department, a Leroy Jenkins is her contact. Thanks again guys."_

"Anytime, when is she expecting us?"

"_I'm guessing anytime you're ready. Listen Hardy, you take care of yourselves. This guy's insane; he's violently insane and smart. He's already figured out and targeted Melissa. Stay alert, please."_

"Will do, don't worry Drew. You take care."

"_Will do. Thanks again Hardy, I'll let her know."_

_Click._

_Click._

"Who was that?" seventeen year old Joe Hardy asked from the kitchen table as his eighteen year old brother sat down.

"That was Nan. She was calling to ask our help?"

"A case! We got a case?" Joe exclaimed. It was fall bark and the Hardy's hadn't had a case for a month. On top of that most of their friends were working or on family vacations.

Frank broke into a grin, "Yes we do. A friend of Nancy's needs our help, Melissa Woodrow. She's out in Maryland working on the 'Grave Digger case.'"

Joe froze, his eyes going wide, "No way! The 'Grave Digger?' We're going to be working on the 'Grave Digger?'"

"Uh huh."

"The serial killer who digs up graves?"

"Yup," Frank was amused by the wide-eyed look Joe had, the kind of 'deer in the head lights' look he got when a really exciting case was coming there way.

"No way…we get to work on that case?"

"If you want to…"

"Hell yeah!"

"Joe, just remember we'll be helping on this one. The case belongs to Nancy's friend, she calls all the shots."

"Hey, that's fine with me…when do we leave?"

"I just got to get a few things done, like clear it with Mom and Dad, and tell Melissa we're on our way, so why don't you go pack?"

"Sounds good to me. Yes! We got a case!" Joe said almost dancing, but then his antics halted and he turned serious eyes to Frank. "Frank, are you sure about this? I mean this guy…the Grave Digger…he digs up graves…are you ok…?" Joe was nervous, stuttering, he wanted to make sure that the case wouldn't hit to close to home for Frank, not after last summer.

Frank's eyes narrowed and he appeared to be thinking. He knew that there was a possibility, a strong possibility, things would get to close for him. His head said that he shouldn't take it, but he knew that would mean Joe wouldn't take the case ether. No, he could handle it. Whatever came his way he could handle, after all he wasn't a target.

"I'll be fine."

"YES!"

Frank chuckled as he watched his brother dash up the stairs, and went to make a few phone calls.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Six hours latter Frank and Joe were pulling into Wales City Police Department. They had deiced to meet Melissa there instead of going to their hotel so they could get brought up to speed right away.

It was about seven at night, and already pitch black, though the station was well lit.

"Wales City Police Department, Station Five, well this is the place," Joe said, glancing at the directions he held. "So Melissa said that she'd be waiting with a Leroy Jenkins?"

"Yup, that's what she said," Frank said as he pulled into a visitor's parking spot.

The two brothers walked into the station and got directions to Homicide where they were told that Jenkins was waiting for them. After getting lost twice, they finally found the Homicide division and were directed to an interview room in the way back.

"Some detectives we make, can't even find a Homicide unit in a police station," Frank teased as he knocked on the door. Joe just gave him a goofy smile and shrugged.

"Come in," came the tired reply to Frank's knock.

"Hello, I'm Frank Hardy and this is my younger brother Joe. We're here to see a Leroy Jenkins and a Melissa Woodrow," Frank said, instantly professional as he and Joe entered.

Inside the room were two people. One, a fitness buff leaning against the wall was facing a rather pretty looking woman who was seated at the table spilling over with files. She gave Frank a gleaming smile and stood to shake hands.

"Hello, I'm Melissa Woodrow, but my friends call me Meshy Woo, and the shadow behind you is Detective Leroy Jenkins. He's the head of the task force set up to catch the 'Grave Digger.'"

"Nice to meet you," Joe said as he shook her and then Jenkins hands.

"Would you two like anything to drink or eat? It's got to be a long drive from New York," Melissa asked as the brothers both took a seat.

"No, thank you, we'll eat at the hotel. Why don't you fill us in on the case," Frank said.

"How much do you know?" Jenkins asked gruffly from where he stood, holding up the wall.

"Just what the media knows I suppose. I mean I've been following it, but I'm sure you guys with held stuff," Joe answered.

"Yeah…You know that he's been digging up graves and steeling the bodies right?"

"Yeah, mostly of people who died no longer then a year ago in some kind of accident or by other then natural means. He then finds people who looks like the corpses and kills them in a similar way. He then positions them together in a factory of warehouse," Frank said.

"Wow, you really have been following," Melissa said giving them a tired smile. "You're right about it all, and we have been holding things back. We have no solid profile yet, and god knows the FBI can't help, I mean he's only killed eight people…" she said the last bit with a kind of bitter sarcastic tone.

Melissa was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jenkins answered it, a young officer handed him a slip of paper.

"Melissa, I've got to go. You fill them in," Jenkins said and was gone before he could get a response.

"Leroy Jenkins," Melissa said rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry that he's acting so cold, it's just this case has him working triple shift and the body count's still rising."

"How long have you been working the case?" Frank asked.

"A month, the family of the first victim hired me. Then the other's and the mayor gave me police powers at the Caption's request."

"Why'd he ask for you?"

"I'm physic. To put it simple I guess what I mean is that whenever the police get stuck they call me for my hunches, my view on things. It's all wired, hard to explain, all I know is that it just works."

Frank and Joe kind of looked at her with their eyebrows raised, causing her to laugh. "Yeah, I know how it sounds, but it's true. I just know things, I just know how they happened, how they will happen, and how people will react."

"Then why is this guy different?" Frank asked after a few seconds.

"I don't know, that's partly why you two are here, to help me figure it out. Nancy said that you're pretty good at Criminal Psychology, Frank?"

"I'm alright. I've taken a few courses on it at the community collage nothing more," He said, blushing slightly.

"What's the other reason we're hear," Joe asked, smirking at his brother's response.

Melissa sighed and leaned back. "The Grave Digger only kills people that look like corpse he's dug up right?" Frank and Joe nodded, "Well Nicole Anderson, the latest victim, things were different. He had changed her…"

"Changed her?" Frank asked, and Melissa tossed him one of the files scattered around the table. Frank read it silently then grim faced handed it to Joe.

"So he's targeted you?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, something he's never done before. Actually this time he's done two things he's never done before. He changed a body and contacted us." There was silence in the room as the statement was considered.

"Well, what has he done before? You said there were some things with held, what were they?" Joe asked.

Melissa sighed again, and looked at the two brothers. "He has no pattern, out of the eight people he's killed three have been women two have been gay men, one a transy, and two straight men. All of different races, ages, and creeds. All look different, there's no set pattern like blond hair blue eyes. All have different professions, and family back grounds. He doesn't even kill them the same. The only thing that lets us know it's the same guy is what he does to the body."

"What does he do to the bodies?" Joe asked nervously.

Melissa was silent for a few moments, "Before they die he tortures them. We're not sure how, but on a few we've found insects inside them."

"Decay?" Frank asked.

"No, the burrowed their way in through cuts in the skin while the person was still alive. There are also broken bones and so on. But this is what is really bothering, he not only assaults them while they're living but he assaults them while their dead as well."

There was silence for a while, both Frank and Joe cringing in disgust.

"How long between time of death and discovery?" Frank finally asked, wanting to move past the torture.

"It varies, never longer then two days, never shorter then twelve hours."

"Hides the body well enough to escape, but poor enough that it's found...he's good," Frank said thoughtfully earning him considering looks from both Joe and Melissa. "You said he's never tried to contact you before, but I think that's wrong. I think you're trying to fit him in with Sun of Sam and the Zodiac Killer, but it may be he gets his own category. He's hidden the bodies, but they keep getting found. How many graves have been dug up?"

"Eight that we tie to him," Melissa answered.

"How have you tied it to him?" Frank asked.

"M.O. as well as flowers. He always leaves flowers at the nearby graves and weds on the grave he dug up."

"Hmmm…Every time he digs up a grave he does the same thing?" Melissa nodded. "He leaves the bodies next to each other…are they ever touching?"

"Always, back to front on top of each other."

"Victim first or body?"

"Victim."

"He's trying to tell us something. Every crime scene he's saying something. The killings aren't random, not to him. There's something that connects them all together in his head. And they all hold the same message. Figure out the message and you get the rest," Frank said leaning back in the chair.

Melissa stared at him, a look of surprise on his face. Joe, who was use to his brother's brain and the way it worked, just smiled and shook his head. "So Mr. Smarty Pants how do you plan on figuring that out?" Joe asked.

"Well, I was going to start by suggesting we get dinner…."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A soft mist had started, creating a foggy night. In the distance there was an old church silhouetted in the fog. A chilled but subtle wind ruffled the massive trees that lined the path ways of the cemetery. There was nothing natural in the air, no sounds of night scavengers or birds. No signs of teenagers or homeless. Nothing living seemed to be in the cemetery.

But there it was nonetheless, the energy. A pulse in that moved through the earth. A sent of something familiar in the air. A feel of comfort, of power. The idea that things were moving under him, that bodies were turning, awakening. The old cemetery was alive again for the first time in years, and it be damned if it didn't let everyone know it.

The man quickened his pace. He wanted out of here. He both loved and feared the Cemeteries that he walked in. No where else had he ever felt more energy, more power, more alive (ironically). And no where else had he ever felt more dread. For he knew he was stealing the dead, he knew he was taking their power, their energy. For what were the dead but trapped energy? And he was deathly afraid that they would wake up and come after him. He could never let that happened.

The man came to a stop in front of a grave. It was a very fresh one, not even five days old. He could feel the occupant still getting comfortable. But there was no doubt that the thing inside the casket was not Mary Wielder, 1985 – 2007. He didn't know what it was but he had to stop it before it came after him.

He had messed up on the last one. He had changed the routine, changed the way things worked. He'd messed up big time and the power had whispered its' disapproval. Now he had to make things right. He had to follow the rules to the letter now. He needed the energy but he wasn't sure if the energy needed him. So he had to make it happy, had to keep it appeased.

It wanted retribution for his mess up. It had risked it self, now he must risk himself. It was the only way. Slowly the man began to pray. He was going back to the beginning. He would do this by the letter.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Hmm….that sounds good, I haven't eaten since lunch," Joe said thoughtfully, causing Melissa to laugh.

"I can take a hint! I'll order some pizza so we can keep working, alright?" she said.

"Sound's good to me," Joe said and Frank nodded.

Melissa smiled and then disappeared leaving the brothers alone with the grizzly files. "So what do you think?" Joe asked eyeing the door.

"I think that she's nice, a little wired maybe, but Nancy trusts her and I trust Nancy. Besides, we're trying to stop this guy and that's all that matters," Frank said calmly.

"I wonder how this physic gift works," Joe mused. "Think she read's minds or see's the future.

Frank rolled his eyes, ever since they were little Joe had been fascinated by the supernatural. Not that Frank could really blame him, for he too liked ghost stories, he just didn't believe them. "I have no idea; I bet you could ask her, but now's not the time. Grab a file and start skimming, tell me anything that jumps out at you," Frank said as he followed his own instructions.

Joe groaned; he hated this part of the job.

Frank was three files down and Joe two when Melissa came back in, grimed face. Frank instantly picked up on it and nudge Joe who stopped what he was doing and perked up. "What's wrong?" Frank asked.

"There's been another grave robbery, our presence has been requested," Melissa stated calmly, her eyes betraying the frantic thoughts in her head.

* * *

Old Wales Cemetery was in deed old, very old. It had been in the city since the city was no more then a few homestead scattered about. Not only was Old Wales the final resting place of the wealthy, put it held the cities largest popper graveyard as well as the city's first boot hill and held many victims of the early epidemics in it's numerous mass graves near the far side. It's grass was watered by the tears of the grieving as they came to say good bye. It's soil enriched by the decaying corpses. It was nearly full with the amount of dead it held.

Recently the cemetery had begun to dig up the mass graves and re-dispose of the hundreds of 'dearly departed' there to make room for more. In a cemetery this old it was probably a bad idea considering that the bodies they were moving were already restless. In-fact the whole graveyard was restless tonight. It seemed to scream in both annoyance and dread. An atmosphere of violation and loss filled the air adding to the already eerie scene painted for the officers. The whole scene screamed horror movie and only added to the tension of the people gathered around the newly emptied grave. The freshly stolen body and impending murder didn't help things ether.

Melissa shivered; the energy around the crime scene was almost over powering. Ever since she was little she had always been hyper-sensitive to the atmosphere. Her mother had called it instinct, but instinct didn't really fit this anymore. It wasn't so much telling the future as sensing the course of things. Being able to observe every detail of something then put the clues together and making really good guesses at what could happen that normally did. It made reading mystery books really boring.

Tonight that instinct of her's was in over drive. She studied the poorly dug grave. The way that only half of it was dug, and the head portion of the casket was opened allowing for it's occupant to be pulled out. She noted the flowers that were on the surrounding graves, and the weeds on the robbed grave. The same flowers as always, red roses. She studied the candle wax that made a vague cross across the grave. More wax smeared across the headstone. She took in the broken glass, the coffin nail driven into the casket. She took in everything, every detail and the only thing that came to mind was the he had reverted.

"This is like the first grave isn't it?" Frank asked softly, suddenly next to her. Caught of guard Melissa startled. "Sorry," Frank said bashfully. He had been hanging back from the violated grave as much as possible, trying to get his head under control. He was more then willing to let his younger brother walk the perimeter and do the studying.

"It's alright, I was just in deep thought," Melissa said, smiling wearily. Her smile faltered as she picked up on Frank's discomfort. "What's wrong?" she asked him softly.

"Nothing," Frank lied, but Melissa was unconvinced, especially when he didn't look at her. She followed his gaze to the grave and she could sense that Frank, though right next to her, was in a different time and place altogether. She caught a quick glance at Joe and noticed that he kept stealing glances at Frank and the casket. He caught her eye and she got a hit of emotion from him. He wanted to get Frank away from the grave.

Melissa sighed, she had a feeling that there was something that had happened to the brothers that was causing their tension. She would have to call Nancy and ask for the basics and the confront the brothers. It had to be dealt with before they ether Hardy could take on this case. Right now though she had the sense to get Frank away from the grave.

"Let's go for a walk," she said, "I need a break." She turned and left, not waiting to see if Frank followed. She knew he would.

They walked along the path in silence for a few minuets; Melissa cursing the pavement for it had bore them no clues. Frank was the first to break it, "He's reverted, hasn't he?"

Melissa sighed again; she was doing that a lot lately. "In the beginning he was very ceremonious in his grave robbing. It was one of the reasons we didn't pick upon on the body connection right away, besides the obvious what does a dead guy have to do with a living kidnapping. But the whole scene looked like a fake ritual or something. Everything you saw there tonight he stopped doing about three bodies ago. He hadn't been so religious for awhile now. Now all of a sudden he's back to the beginning…it doesn't make sense."

There was silence for a minuet as Frank thought about it. "Maybe it does, maybe you're just over thinking it," he said thoughtfully.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, you kind of said it, he's back at the beginning…he's starting over."

Melissa stopped, and stared at Frank, suddenly it all started to become clear in her mind. "He changed the last crime scene…he didn't just change the victim or his method of contact but he also…oh my God how could I have missed it! How could we all have missed it!"

Frank looked at her puzzled, "Missed what?"

"The last victim was female, but the corpses was male! He messed up! He made a mistake!" Melissa said a light in her eyes and quickly rushed into an explanation. "We always think that the grave robbery comes first. The bodies always match. Same age group, same race, same physical appearance, same sex. It's like the grave robbery is some kind of catalog…it's like a shopping list or something. You know requirements…must be so and so big, so and so colored and blond….So what if last time he didn't make a list?"

Frank's own eyes lit up, "What if he did the kidnapping first and then messed up the grave robbing bit? It's possible; I mean we don't know this guy real well. But it seems to me that he such a creature of habit…."

"That's it! Don't you see! He's so into habit and following his structure that he got comfortable. He got over ego-ed. And it back fired on him…"

"And there went his confidence so he decide to build it again and the only way he knew how to do that was starting over," Frank finished for her. "It's a theory," he said with a smile.

"And the only one we have! We have to talk to Leroy," Melissa squealed excitedly.

Frank's smile faltered briefly as he gazed past her into the darkness. "You go on ahead," he told her, "I'll catch up."

Melissa frowned slightly; puzzled by Frank, but then she remembered his unease around the grave and shock off the feeling.

"Alright, but don't be to long. The rain's getting heavier and they should be wrapping up the crime scene by now. Knowing Leroy he only called us in after the processing."

"Don't worry about me," Frank said to Melissa's retreating figure, and once she was out of ear shot he said, "I'm just going to check something out."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Melissa moved excitedly towards the grave and officers. She spotted Leroy right away, but he was in deep conversation with someone who looked important and she didn't want to disturb him just then. But Missy felt like she was about to burst because for the first time she actually had a clue, an insight into this guy, so she scanned the crowd for someone she could talk to.

She spotted Joe standing off to the side by himself, staring at the grave. Again she got the feeling he wasn't in the here and now but she was too excited to think about it. She made her way over to him with a spring in her step and practically tackled him.

Joe startled back into reality, "Oh my God! Missy Woo, you scared the crap outta me!"

Missy brook into a fit of giggles, which earned her a few looks from the people around them, but she didn't mind she was too giddy. "We have a way in! We got a look in his mind Joe! You're brother and I got into his head!" Missy quickly went on to explain the conversation she had with Frank.

Joe's face lit up in a grin after she finished, "Well it's start."

"Yeah, and it's about time," Missy added.

"What's about time?" Leroy asked from behind her. The young detective startled slightly and spun around. "Good God! You're the second person to do that to me tonight!" She snapped.

"Sorry," he said automatically, "What's about time?" he repeated.

Missy looked around and saw that most everyone was leaving or already gone. She quickly told Leroy what she had told Joe and he took it in calmly.

"That's good, we can use that. I wish it was a little more though," he sighed tiredly.

"Well, sorry but given the circumstances it was the best Frank and I could do," Missy responded.

Leroy nodded and looked around, "Speaking of Mr. Hardy, where did he go?"


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Frank moved off the main path into the actual grave yard. There were a cluster of old tombs that stood off to a side, close to the church side of the yard, and that was where Frank was headed. He had seen something moving in the shadows of the tombs, at least he thought he had. He couldn't be completely sure, that's why he let Missy go. After all, it was probably nothing. But he had to check.

As he reached the tombs he slowed his pace and tensed his body, preparing for anything that might come at him. He moved through the tombs, looking down each ally for any sign of something. He found it the third tomb down, or rather it found him.

Frank was shoved to the ground as someone tackled him from behind. Unfortunately for the would-be attacker, the pace was to narrow for any kind of real fighting. While their tackle had knocked Frank down, it had also made it impossible for them to escape. Frank, being the better trained, was able to grab a hold of them and pick himself up at the same time pulling tem to their feet.

Frank was surprised to find that his attacker was a girl, no older then himself. She had long black hair that curled around a pale round face. He black clothes clung to her athletic body but what really stood out about her was the multiply piercing around her eye brows and lips.

The girl was fighting with Frank for all her worth and it was getting harder to hold on to her. She was obviously frightened and had no desire to be there, but why, Frank had no clue. "Hey, woe, woe…It's alright, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you; I'm not going to hurt you…" Frank said in a calm voice, pinning the girl against his body and started to rock her. He kept up his soothing words and rocking until he felt her relax slightly.

"Better?" Frank asked her, now stopping the rocking. He felt her nod, and Frank let out the breath he'd been holding. "Good, now I'm going to release you but I don't want you running off. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise, I just need to talk to you. Alright?" Again the girl nodded and so Frank released her.

She scrambled away from him, but stopped just at the edge of the tomb and turned to face him. Frank made no move to approach her, and he kept his hands where she could see them. "Who are your?" she asked, using anger to hid her fear.

"My name's Frank Hardy. I'm working with the police at a crime scene that was discovered here. Are your hurt Ms. …?"

"Maggie. Just Maggie. No, I'm fine. What do you want?" she asked relaxing slightly.

"Well, like I said, I'm working a crime scene nearby and I'd just like to know if you saw anything."

"The grave robbery?" she asked a ting of fear in her voice.

"Yeah, the grave robbery," Frank answered with a nod.

"It's him isn't it?" Maggie said, her eyes growing wide.

"Who?" Frank asked, taking a slight step towards her. Maggie had gone pale at the mention of the grave robbery, and he wasn't sure if she was going to faint. It was becoming more and more apparent to Frank that she had seen the grave robber and that would mean she probably had two major scares, if not more, in the course of a few hours. That wasn't good for anybody.

"You know who….they wouldn't have a zillion officers crawling all around the place if it wasn't him! Oh God, oh God, oh God…What the fuck have I gotten myself into!" she cried as she slumped down. Her breathing was growing rapid and she was dangerously close to hyperventilating.

Frank closed the distance between her and him in a few quick steps and crouched down in front of her. "Hey, hey, calm down. Maggie, listen to me," he said as authoritarian as possible. Maggie didn't really hear him, she was still freaking out. "Maggie!' Frank barked, and this time got her attention. "Take a deep breath," he said softly, "hold it," she did as she was told, "now let it out slowly…." Frank had her do this several times before he was convinced that she wasn't going to lose it.

"Sorry," Maggie said after awhile. "I'm not normally this pathetic."

"It's ok, you should of seen me earlier. I was pretty much in the same shape,' Frank said with his best Boy Scout smile. He was rewarded with a small smile form Maggie and he gave her a few more minuets to get a hold of herself. "You think you can tell me what you saw now?" he said gently.

"Yeah…sure why not…"

"You don't have to, I mean you can wait until tomorrow to tell me or you can call the police and leave an anonymous tip. Or you could even just walk right out of here, I can't make you do anything and nether can the police," Frank told her. One thing that he had learned was to always, no matter what or who, give people options. If a person felt trapped the more likely they were to push you out and right now he couldn't afford to have this girl push him out.

"I could just walk away?" she asked, a wistful look in her eyes.

Frank nodded, "You could. No one would blame you, hell I wouldn't tell anyone. But every time you see a news story about the Grave Digger, or about a grave robbery or a murder you're going to remember this. You're going to remember that you could have told someone what you saw, even if it was stupid and pointless. Even if it didn't seem important at all, you could have told. And who knows, maybe it was the missing link, or the smoking gun or something."

The two fell into silence as the girl thought about what Frank said. After everything that she'd seen in the last few hours she should have been scared of her own shadow, let alone a strange guy she'd never meet before in her life. But he just didn't scare her. And, probably because he offered calmness, order and some sense of safety, she felt she owed it to him to tell him.

"I don't want to talk to the police…not yet," she said softly.

"Alright," Frank said, trying not to let the disappointment show.

"But I'll talk to you," she said after a beat. Frank looked over at her and cocked his head to the side. Her eyes met his and she smile, "You're the only one I'm not freaked to be around right now," she offered as an explanation. Frank smiled and just nodded.

Maggie took a deep breath and looked into the stone tomb in front of her. "I come here a lot, at least three times a week. My brother, Phil, died to years ago…cancer…."

"I'm sorry," Frank said, sincerely. He could feel her pain as she spoke about her sister and knew they had been close, maybe even as close as he and Joe. He couldn't imagine a life with out Joe.

"Yeah, well….anyway, I hadn't gotten a chance to come out here for awhile. Things had gotten hectic at the Diner where I work…my dad's place Maggie's Philly. Can't imagine where he got the name, huh?"

Frank gave a small laugh, but didn't interrupt her.

"Anyway, I came to see Phil, and afterwards I decided to go for a walk. It's quite here at night…kind of peaceful. And I come across this grave where this guy is digging…it was so wired…it was like watching every stereotypical Satanic Worship ever imagined but there was something so real about it…like _he_ really meant what he was doing." She took a deep breath and continued.

"And I went up to get a closer look, only I stepped on something and he heard me. He started looking around franticly and…I think he saw me…."

"Did you see him? Did you see his face?"

"No, not really…it was shadowed but I'm pretty sure he had short hair, and he didn't look over weight," Maggie said, eyes closed as she pictured the scene. "But that's all I can remember."

"What did you do?"

"Sorry?"

"You said that you think he saw you, did you stay to find out or did you run?"

"I got the hell out of dodge," she said. "I ran as fast as I could, but I got lost and ended up running into Father Marks."

"Father Marks?"

"Yeah, he's the priest at St. Mary's, the church responsible for the grave yard, the one up there," she answered, pointing in the direction of the old church. "He's responsible for the caretaking here. He works mostly at night, I see him a lot when I come to see Phil. We talk sometimes…he's got some kind of condition, makes it hard for him to be in the sun. I don't know," she said with a shrug.

"What happened when you met the Father?" Frank asked, his interest peeked, maybe they had two witnesses….

"I told him what I saw. He told me to go home and that he' take care of it. He said if the police needed to talk to me he'd let me know."

Again the two fell into silence as Frank thought about What Maggie had told him. Finally he asked, "Why didn't you go home?"

"I wanted to make sure the police came…."

Frank laughed, "Even though you weren't going to talk to them?"

Maggie started to laugh too, "Yea, I…I guess I'm pretty spooked…witness a grave robber who could very well be a serial killer, get lost in a cemetery, have the shit scared out of her three time…four? It's not really my average night I guess. I mean I'm a Goth and all, but even this is a little to Poe for me, you know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I know. This isn't normal for me ether. Listen Maggie, are you going to be alright getting home by yourself?" Frank asked the girl, now becoming aware of how long he had spent here.

"Yeah, sure, I'll make it."

"You positive? I mean I could take you home…."

"Right; and have to explain to all the cops who I am and why I was here, and why I was hiding…no thank you."

"Maggie you sure? You know, you're probably going to have to talk to them sooner or latter," Frank told her sternly.

Maggie thought a minuet, "It's going to have to be latter. I'm to shook up."

"Alright…" Frank said, pulling a pad and pen from his pocket he wrote his phone number down. "This is my cell phone. Call me when you get home so I know you made it. And if you ever need me, call me then too. Just to give you a heads up, I have to tell the police what you saw 'cause as you guessed it was the Grave Digger. So don't be surprised if they come to talk to you."

Maggie sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Guess I had it coming…alright. Count me in for the long haul."

"Thank you Maggie. You have no idea how much you've helped us," Frank said as he got to his feet, and helped Maggie to her's. The girl just smiled before turning to leave. Frank watched her for a minuet then he too took his leave and headed back up the path to the scene.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Franklin Hardy! Where in the world have you been?" Joe snapped more form relief then anything. Frank had been gone for nearly an hour and half and Joe was starting to panic. Not only him but Leroy and Missy as well. So it was with great relief and annoyance to see his elder brother jogging up the path to the crime scene.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry!" Frank said, biting back a smile at Joe's use of his proper name.

"You're sorry? Are you crazy?" Leroy scolded him; he too was acting out of relief from finding the youth. "We have no idea if the suspect is still in the area, no clue who the hell is out there…what the hell were you doing?"

"Finding a witness," Frank replied, and smiled at the shocked faces in front of him. He quickly told them about finding Maggie, and what she had told him, including the part about Father Marks.

"And you just let her go?" Leroy growled.

"No, not really…" Frank started.

"She's not here now, is she? A witness and you just let her go!"

Frank's patients was starting to run thin, he was tired from the long drive and then going straight to work, hungry, and the grave was starting to freak him out again. "Look, I did not just let her go! I know I'm not a police officer or anything, but give me some credit. She's was scared, she just had about three or four major shocks in a matter of a few hours. That kind of earns a cool down period. Besides, her name is Maggie, and she's the daughter of the owner of Maggie's Philly, it's diner. And while we're waiting for her to calm down, we can interview Father Marks."

There was nothing Leroy could really say to that. He knew when he was beat, and so he just glared at Frank before he walked grumbling away.

"Sorry about that, he's not thinking to clearly. Normally he's a teddy bear, but this case has him working triple time," Missy said after a minuet.

"Yeah, our dad can get like that sometimes…" Joe said, "But you are so not getting off!" He turned to face his brother, a frown on his face, "What were you thinking running off like that? I mean, you could have gotten hurt, or run into…" Joe trailed off into confusion. Frank was nearly doubled over laughing at his brother. "What? What's so funny?"

"You're…giving…me…this…lecture…" Frank chocked out.

Joe stared at him for a minuet, then rolled his eyes and started to laugh. Missy just watched the brothers, 'boys….'

**- line -**

It was around eleven before Missy found herself able to unwind. After the grave yard Missy and the Hardy's had finally gotten dinner, then they had gone back to the station to go over more files. That had gotten them no where. They were all too close to fried so the Hardy's had gone off to their hotel and she had gone home.

Now showered, in PJs and with her security system fully armed and every possible entrance locked, Missy was feeling more human. She was all ready for bed, except for one thing that she needed to take care of before she could.

"Hello, sorry to be calling so late, but I was wondering if I could talk to Nancy Drew."

"_This is her."_

"Hey Nan, it's Missy Woo."

"_Oh, hey! How you doing, you alright?"_

"Yeah, I'm better. There was another grave robbery….we have six days. Nan, you were right about the Hardys. They are amazing. Just by talking things out with Frank I can already start to get a vibe from this guy. And Joe knows exactly what to say and when to say it to break the tension. He's no dumb blond, that's for sure."

"_See, told ya. I've worked with them hundreds of times and each time it's an adventure," she said with a laugh. "So what's up?"_

"I need to know something, we were at the grave yard, the Hardys and I, and around the grave Frank was…" she frowned trying to think of a way to phrase what she wanted to say. Thankfully Nancy spoke first.

"_He was strange, distant, nervous? And Joe seemed to be over protective, glancing over at him every three seconds?"_

"Yeah, exactly."

"_It has to do with a case that Joe worked this summer."_

"Just Joe? Don't they always work as a team?"

"_Yeah, normally, but this time it was just Joe…and I guess his father. It was a really rough case, but that's all I can tell you. You have to ask them."_

"Thanks Nan, I think I will. Well, I'll let you go; I'm suppose to be asleep."

"_Alright, night hun. Take care, I'll be finish with my case in another day or two then I'll head out your way."_

"Oh great, another detective! It's turning into a regular PI R Us here," Missy laughed.

_Nancy laughed, "Night hun."_

"Night."

The two hung up and Missy found herself alone. Only she didn't feel alone.

Missy closed her eyes and tapped into that part of her that didn't fit convention, her form of the 'spidy sense.' There was something moving around out side, or at least that's what her instinct was telling her. Her instinct was confirmed a second latter when a brick came crashing through her window.

The alarm went off, her neighbor's German shepherded started to bark, and she could hear her phone going off. All that was in the back ground though, her attention was now on the brick that now lay a few feet away from her.

Slowly she got up and approached the brick. Carefully she picked up the brick and unwrapped the paper that was around it.

_I saw you there, did you see me?_

_This game we play, it just isn't fair._

_What do I have to do,_

_To get the chance to meet you?_

_Woe to you Missy Woo……_


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Frank walked into the house sighing at the amount of Police he saw. There were always more people then there needed to be at crime scenes if you asked Frank. But there was always double when the crime scene evolved an officer in some way. He made his way carefully through the neatly furnished house until he was standing in the bedroom where Missy was seated on the bed and Jenkins was pacing.

"Sorry I'm late…" Frank said with a yawn, "Sorry."

Missy smiled at him. When she called, Frank had been asleep, and though he denied any kind of inconvenience she could tell he was tired. Now she took in his dissolved hair and messy, day old, cloths and a small smile came to her face. "Thanks for coming," she said quietly. She looked around him and frowned when she didn't see the younger of the brothers.

Frank noticed the look and smiled, "My lazy half is sleeping like a baby. I didn't want to wake him."

Missy smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you guys are pretty tired."

"So what happened," Frank asked stifling another yawn.

Missy filled him in on the brick and the note and Frank and Jenkins listened quietly to her as she spoke.

"You're not staying here," Jenkins said after she had finished.

"What I think Detective Jenkins is saying is that he knows that you're here, and he's now made direct contact with you. Not only is your home now a crime scene but you're in danger. Maybe it would be better if you went some place else," Frank said more tactfully.

Missy smiled and shock her head, "You know Jenkins, it wouldn't hurt to take some pointers form Frank on tact."

Jenkins shrugged, "Why use tact when you can be direct and get answers faster?"

"Oh Jenkins…" Missy said, sighing at the old argument.

"Anyways," Jenkins continued, "This isn't about me, this is about you. You can't stay here."

"We could get you a room at the same hotel Joe and I are saying, that way we can work on the case easier and it's close to the Police Station," Frank jumped in.

"And you'd be there to watch my ass…" Missy mumbled as she rubbed her head, "Alright, alright. Take me to the hotel oh Sir Galahad," she said.

**- line -**

"How you doing?" Frank asked Missy as they drove towards the hotel in the rain. She'd been very quite and through quick glances at her Frank could tell that her head hurt.

"I'm fine," was the answer, and Frank didn't buy it.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her, not willing to let it go.

"If he's starting over why did he contact me?" Missy said, and when Frank provided no interruptions continued, "I mean that was never the game plan. And how the hell does he know who I am? Why is he focusing on me, there must be at least seven other detectives and cops working on this case? And why the hell can't I get a feel for him? What makes him so different from all the other mother fuckers that I can't get into his hell!"

There was a silence for a few minuets as Frank let Missy calm down. He was beginning to find that in many ways she was like Joe and he could feel a head ach of his own forming at the thought of having to deal with two of them. When he was sure that she wouldn't bite his off he spoke. "All good questions, I'll ask the guy when we catch him," he said dryly.

Missy glared at him, "Nan said you were a smart ass."

"Nan says a lot," Frank said with a cheeky grin.

Missy laughed softly and the two settled into a comfortable silence.

"Frank, do we have to go to the hotel?" Missy asked him.

"No, why?" he said glancing at her.

"I can't sleep, my mind's racing. Think it be possible to go back to the grave? If he was watching me tonight I want to know from where."

Missy was too caught up in her thoughts to notice the winch Frank made. He knew that he probably should say no. That it was raining, that they needed sleep, that they could go back latter. But then again, if she was as like Joe as Frank thought, that she would never be able to sleep. Reluctantly he agreed and that was how the two found themselves at Old Wales, in the rain, for the second time that night.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

He stood over his work with an almost glee full peace. He had appeased the beast for now and peace was his for the time being. Tomorrow he would get his other guest, and then he could start his work. But for right now he felt like gloating, he felt like studying his work.

Standing here, looking at the grave that the police had trampled but hadn't cleaned, he was awed by the beauty. Mesmerized by the simple pagan protection it offered. Why had he ever thought to stop his ritual? Why had he forgotten what it was like to perform it, to be a part of something so dark, so unholy, so counter culture that he felt like Lucifer deifying the gods of heaven and earth? How could he forget the release of all the tension, all the stress that the world and all that was in it seemed to love to thrust upon him.

He made a pledge to himself and to the beast as the rain started to come down harder that he would never again go with out the ritual. Never again try to stray from the path that was laid out for him. He would always stick to the old ways, they offered more freedom then anything that he could do on his own.

Let the beast plot. Let the beast stalk and pick. Let the beast control him. Let him appease the beast. Let that order never be broken again.

That is what he said. That is what he promised. And that would have to do for now. There were head lights coming up the path. He couldn't be seen here.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Don't stop here," Missy said as she and Frank pulled up to the most recent grave robbery. Frank gave her a confused look but did as she said and drove past.

"I know, you said go to the grave yard so we can find where he was and you want me to go past the crime scene. There's just another grave I want to see first though. You know the first grave robbery was here?" Missy continued as she scanned the area looking for her target.

"Jennifer Rogers, 22, youngest daughter of Amanda and Robert Rogers. Left behind two brothers and a golden retriever named Rex as well as her parents. She had a fiancé named Tom; he was away in Canada with his family at the time. She was studying to be a historian disappeared from her apartment. Her room mate called her parents. They found her six days later. She'd been run off the road. They buried her here August of this year. He dug her up some time in September."

"The first victim," Frank said grimly.

"Yeah, see that's what everyone forgets or just doesn't understand. The dead don't stop being human just because they're dead. They have rights and needs too. They still have family, friends, a mark in time. Her family was devastated when they heard of the grave robbery, they were violated. Here they had laid her to rest next to her grandmother and somebody just comes and digs her up," Missy said disgusted.

"I guess it's because we need to focus on the living," Frank said. "If you think about everything and every one as a victim then how do you go on? How do you solve a case like this?"

The two fell into a silence. The case had already started to way on Frank and all he'd done was look through the victim files, the crime scene photos, listen to the case notes and detectives, and been to one grave robbery. He couldn't imagine how heavy it must have felt to Missy and Jenkins.

"Stop here!" Missy said suddenly, already unbuckling herself form the seat. She was out the door before Frank had put the van into park.

Frank put the car into park and secured the parking brake before he got out and joined Missy at the foot of a grave which was clearly the latest in a family plot. "I wish she could speak to me. I wish she could show me what she saw…" Missy said after sometime.

"She could tell us who took her and then we'd have our killer. If only the dead spoke," Frank agreed.

"They do, it's just that they speak in riddles," Missy said as she began to walk around the grave.

"You know I've been thinking," Frank said watching her. "Killers, rapists, burglaries, they always start close to home. Everyone has their comfort zone and they always start there and work their way out."

"It's a proven fact," Missy agreed as she came to a stop behind the tombstone.

"Well, this guy's first crime wasn't the murder or even the kidnapping. His first crime was the grave robbery…" Frank stated.

"We thought of that, but the only people who have the accesses and ability to rob the graves here are the priests from St. Mary's, and they all checked out," Missy said.

"Well, there goes that idea," Frank sighed.

"Don't worry about it to much, at least you're thinking."

The pair lapsed into a friendly silence for a few minuets as the rain soaked them. "Come on," Frank finally said, shivering, "Let's go poke around at the other grave and them get back to the hotel."

"Sounds good to me."

**- line -**

It didn't take the two long to find themselves staring at the most recent grave robbery. There were two officers off in the bushes who were watching the site and they had grumbled a bit when Missy and Frank had shown up. The younger of the pair saying "First the church wanted to look it over now PI and we get to baby sit the whole lot of 'em!" But a few selected words from Missy made the officers shut up and leave the two to they're survey.

Now Missy was walking the perimeter trying to find a place where someone could hide. Frank however was hypnotized by the still open grave and the jagged wood that poked through the ground. His mind was in a different place altogether.

'_It was dark, unnaturally dark…It was silent...still…it smelt like wet soil and mildew…There wasn't a lot of room; he knew that with out even trying…he tried to sit up, but he couldn't…he groaned and laid back down…"Shit. Shit, no. Shit, God no. Please, God no…" He felt his body began to panic. Felt his breathing began to increase as the realization hit him. Frantically he took his good hand and banged on the wood that trapped him…His head began to swirl, as pain took control. He stopped banging on the cover, fearful sobs shaking his body…Hot. Heavy. Thin. That was what he thought of his hell. With each breath he could feel it; each in take told him death was closer…'_

"Hello there!" called a voice, causing Frank to jump ten feet in the air. He spun around to find himself face to face with a man in a cleric. "Woe there son, I didn't mean to startle you," the man said with a chuckle. The man was a middle age man with fading red hair and shinnying green eyes. He was tall and in good shape; healthy looking.

"Hello Father Marks," Missy said coming back from where ever she had disappeared to. "Frank are you alright?" she asked as she noticed how shaky he was.

"I'm afraid I startled him a bit as I came up. I didn't mean to, I'm truly sorry," the Father said as he looked Frank over.

"It's alright, I was lost in thought," Frank said trying to calm himself.

"That you were; are you alright? You seem a bit unsteady, Mr. …," the Father said his voice full of concern.

"Frank Hardy, and it's nothing, I'm fine," Frank said, shifting his feet nervously. He felt like he had just been caught talking in church.

"What are you doing out in the rain Father?" Missy asked, before the Father could further question Frank.

"Oh, what with this rain and all, I felt that the officers deserved some fresh coffee. It's such a shame, all this…desecration…" the Father said, making a gesture towards the grave.

"Yeah, it is…you were the one who called it in, weren't you?" Missy asked. "Did you find the grave?"

"Me? Oh no, I had just started my rounds when I ran into a girl who was scared silly by something. I took the girl back to the church and got her calmed down some then I left her alone while I went to call the police and when I got back she was gone," the Father said with a sigh. "Poor child was really shaken, I was hoping I could call her parents and have them come and get her or let the police take her home. I hate to think of her wondering around out there on a night like this."

"She's fine Father," Frank reassured, "I ran into her walking around the graveyard. She was fine when we parted, and she gave me a call when she got home."

"Oh, that's good news, puts my mind at ease some. Now tell me, what are you two doing out here this late on a night like this?"

"I wanted to go over the crime scene alone, with out all the bells and whistles. See if I could feel something…Frank, are you alright?" Missy asked noticing that his eyes had drifted off towards the grave again.

"I'm sorry, I just can't stand graves," Frank said turning his back on the violated earth.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust; we all must die sometime," the Father said gently.

"It's not the dying I'm afraid of…" Frank said, shivering slightly.

The Father looked beyond Frank, to the grave. "You know, graves are just earth that covers a body. The soul is already gone on it's way to heaven. There is nothing to fear from it."

"Except if you aren't dead…" Frank whispered.

"Frank…?" Missy started, but a look from the Father quieted her.

"What do you mean Frank? What happened?" the Father asked gently, locking eyes with Frank.

"I wasn't even on a case, but they took me to get to my father," Frank said quietly, completely focused on the father.

He had no idea why he was telling the Father about this, it had always gone unmentioned in his family. You don't talk about graves or graveyards in front of Frank; that was now the unwritten rule. He had never talked about the nightmares. Always ignored the questions about how he was when he came to school with dark circles under his eyes. It was something he lived with, something he kept secret mostly. Now here he was confessing his deep, dark secrets to a complete stranger and someone he just meet. But he couldn't stop himself.

"They wanted to keep him distracted long enough so they could start circulating money with anthrax in it. They…they buried me alive…twice…Joe found me the first time and I was dead…." Frank started to shake violently then, and Father Marks had to grab a hold of him to keep him standing.

"But you didn't die, did you? You survived and it's over," the Father reassured him.

"Yeah…so they keep telling me…" Frank whispered.

"Hey frank, come on, why don't we go back to the hotel, I'm kind of tired," Missy said putting her hand on his back.

"I think that's a very good idea, get out of this weather, into a warm bed, sounds good to me," Father Marks chimed in.

"Yeah…" Frank agreed, still shaking from the rush of emotions.

"Come on," Missy said guiding Frank to the car, and with one last look behind her she got in the driver's seat and started heading to the Hardy's hotel.

**- line -**

They pulled into the Hotel's parking lot around three in the morning after a silent car ride. Missy had kept steeling quick glances at Frank, worried about the sudden distant look he had. She had seen many cops lose it on the force and the last thing she wanted was a kid losing it on such a big case.

"Hey," she said softly, "we're here."

Frank blinked and looked around as Miss started to get out of the car. "Hey Missy," he called softly, just as she opened the door.

"Yeah?" she asked turning back to him.

"I'm sorry that I lost it, it doesn't happen very often. I guess I'm just really tired," Frank said sheepishly.

"Hey, I understand. We all have moments like that," Missy said looking at her hands.

"Yeah, but not during cases. I'm sorry," Frank said firmly.

"Forget, by next morning it'll all be forgotten. Now come on, I've got to get checked in and you have to get to bed. We have a case to solve tomorrow."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

When Joe woke up about seven the next morning he found Frank still asleep. Knowing that lately sleep was a rarity for his brother, Joe let him sleep and made his way to the shower. Twenty minuets latter Joe emerged, clean, awake, and hungry, to find Frank just starting to wake up.

"Hey sleeping beauty, stayed at the ball to long last night?" Joe teased his grin lighting up his face.

Frank glared at his brother, determining it was too early in the morning for 'Joe wit.' Thankfully he was saved from a retort by a knock on their hotel door. "Since you're oh so awake, why don't you get the door while I take a shower," Frank said as he stood and grabbed a change of cloths. As he made his way to the bathroom though, he had one last thing to say to Joe, "by the way bro, Cinderella went to the ball, Sleeping Beauty slept through it."

He shut the door on Joe's lively laugh as the younger Hardy made his way to the door. "Hey Missy Woo, what are you doing here?" Joe asked as he greeted the young detective. She was dressed in jeans and a long sleeved t with her hair pulled back. Though she was smiling, Joe could tell that the young detective was a little tired and edgy.

"Didn't Frank tell you? We're neighbors now, I have the room down the hall," Missy said with a smile as she scooted past Joe into the room. "Oh, and I brought breakfast. Three eggs and bacon with coffee."

"Oh, you know us so well," Joe said with a grin, then grew serious, "So why the sudden address change? Frank just woke up a few minuets ago; we haven't gotten a chance to talk."

Missy sighed and took a seat at the small table in the kitchen area of the room. "Last night was an interesting night…" she started then went on to describe the events of the last few hours.

"And you're sure you're ok?" Joe asked after she had finished.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's Frank I'm still worried about," she said as she took a bite from her eggs. "Is the Kolplay case going to be hunting him through this one?"

Joe sighed and put his fork down, "It was a really bad situation. Frank's always been claustrophobic, it just made everything worse. I know he's still having nightmares, hell Biff, Phil, Chet and I are all still having nightmares…He seems to feel it the worst when he's tired." Joe paused, and looked at the bathroom door where his brother was. "Don't worry about Frank, Missy, that's my job."

"What's your job?" Frank asked as he came out of the bathroom, hair still damp. "Hey Missy, is that breakfast I smell?"

"Eggs, and bacon," Joe confirmed as his brother made his way over. "And I was just saying it was my job to make sure you don't wonder off. I mean come on Frank, it's one thing for me to sneak out but your little exploit last night….you know you could have woken me up," Joe said with his best impersonation of Fenton.

Frank stuck his tongue out at his brother, "I tried to wake you, and you nearly hit me in the face. Anyways, I take it Missy filled you in?"

"Yeah, I think I want to take a look at these notes," Joe said.

"Then you can head on down to the forensics lab while Missy and I go talk to Maggie, then we'll meet up for lunch and then we call all go talk to Father Marks again," Frank plotted as he too dug into breakfast.

"Does he always do this?" Missy asked, amused.

"What, make step by step plans and take control of the situation? Yeah, and I have to say I let him. He's better at it and generally it works out," Joe said with his most charming smile.

Frank just glared at the two of them and finished his eggs.

Growing serious, Missy asked, "Why do you want to talk to the Father again though?"

"I didn't go straight to bed; I had a hunch I wanted to cheek out. Remember how I said the first crime was the grave robbery?"

Missy nodded, but Joe looked confused, "Can you explain that one?"

"Crocks always start in the place they're most comfortable, home. Our guy started at Old Wales with the grave robbery, and then he came back to Old Wales to start over. So…"

"So you think that maybe that the guy worked there," Joe finished for Frank.

"Yeah, but we checked that route. It was a dead end, nobody with access to the graveyard was tied to anything remotely criminal," Missy added.

"Yeah, but I did some checking. The church has a homeless shelter, it's possible that one of the homeless knows something," Frank said.

Missy was about to add something when her cell-phone rang and she answered. "Melissa Woodrow."

"_Melissa, it's Leroy. I need and you and the Hardys here at the station as soon as you can."_

"Sure thing, what's up?"

"_We contacted the family of the deceased. I'll fill you in when you get here."_

"Sure thing, we'll be there soon," she hung up the phone and looked up at the brothers. "Chang of plans guys, first stop the police station."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

They had told him that she was the one. That she was the awaked one, but he had just met someone that seemed better. Someone he felt was better suited for his purpose. He had never doubted them before, but no he was. How could she be the right one? How could he have two right ones? He was confused.

They use to be so clear; so obvious. Maybe this was a part of his punishment for stepping out of line. Maybe they were still angry with him and so they would confuse him. But here he was with her and here he was with him and he didn't know what was right. But as long as he had her, he should take care of her.

Maybe they would realize that they had made a mistake, after all they weren't completely perfect….what was he thinking, of course they were. They were the ones leading him, teaching him, protecting him. They were the ones who had chosen him to become on of them and they were guiding him. Of course they were perfect. They knew what they were doing and they knew what was to happen. They were just trying to teach him a lesson, trying to show him what he was without them.

He set out to work, carefully undressing and carefully cleaning. It was now, when he got his first real look at her, that he understood why they had chosen _him_.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Missy sat in a conference room with two pictures in front of her. One was of a drop dead gorges girl with long brown hair and healthily tanned skin. She was obviously athletic and an outdoors kind of girl and would have been the hart breaker of high school, except the way that she held herself it was clear she wasn't comfortable in her own skin. There was something that she didn't like about herself and it made her wired.

The other picture was of the same girl, only she really couldn't be called a girl anymore. Gone was the long hair and well crafted body. Instead there was a much more butch version, still athletic, and still slightly famine, but defiantly well on the way to becoming male. But that wasn't the only change; the person in this picture was happier, confident, and more comfortable in their skin. They had found away to connect body and soul so that they could live their life. It was hard to imagine that in connecting their body and soul they would lose their life.

"Mary and I had a joke between us," said Samantha Wielder who was seated across from Missy. They were the two soul occupants of the room, Leroy insisting the Missy use her 'talents' to interview Wielder and the Hardy's insisting that two women talking was much easier then a police interview. Missy agreed.

She smiled at the petit woman, easily seeing where Mary got her looks from. "What was that?" she asked sweetly.

"I called her a tom boy, she called it something else…when she told me that she was lesbian I cried. I cried myself to sleep for days. Oh, I didn't let her see me, I didn't do it in front of her, but I couldn't help it. I lost my husband that year, and I just felt my world slipping away. They were very close, Mary and John, he had no idea how to raise a daughter and so he raised a son…" Samantha sighed heavily before she continued. "I could handle her being lesbian, I know what the church says and I know what my faith says, but she'd my daughter, my baby, and I love her anyways. It was just…to change your body, to mutilate yourself…I couldn't…I…"

"You don't have to justify yourself to me Mrs. Wielder," Missy said, taking the woman's hand in her's and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She received a strained smile in return; then Mrs. Wielder took another sigh and continued once again, "She left home because I wouldn't support her. She wanted a sugary and I refused to help her, I refused to support her. I couldn't bring myself to. I didn't hear from her for months, and I worried but I was too proud to call her or write. The first news I had of her was that picture. She had cut her hair and started to take male hormones. I had to admit she looked happier, but I still couldn't bring myself to call her. Then I got another letter, she was going to have the sex change sugary. I was furies and I cursed her…" her voice caught here and she had to take a minuet to compose herself. Missy squeezed her hand again, providing the best comfort she knew.

"They called from the hospital…her blood wouldn't clot. She bled to death on the table…My little girl…." The rest of her words were lost in her sobs as her grief over took her.

Missy, her hart breaking for the woman, waited until Mrs. Wielder had cried herself out before she started to ask questions. "How old was your daughter?"

"She was nineteen. Just a baby," Mrs. Wielder said with a whisper.

"She was young…what did she call herself? What name did she like the best?"

"I don't know, I think it was Gregory or something."

"Do you mind if I call her Gregory, or would you prefer I call her Mary?" Mrs. Wielder was a little taken aback by the question, and that didn't go unnoticed by Missy who just smiled and continued, "It's an odd question, I know. I just rather not call your daughter the body or something similar."

"Oh yes, I understand, call her…call her Gregory. If that's what she liked…."

Missy smiled and nodded, "When did Gregory die?"

"This summer, June. It was right before her birthday…"

"Do you know of anyone who would take Gregory's body? Anyone who would want it?"

"That butcher…" Mrs. Wielder said with harshness that Missy didn't expect.

"The doctor who operated on her?"

"He doesn't deserve that title…he would take her. I just filed a malpractice suit against him. I was even going to have her body exhumed next week to have a coroner look at her…Father Marks said that he would make sure everything went smoothly."

Missy ears perked up and she looked quizzically at Mrs. Wielder, "Father Marks?"

"Yes, he's such a kind man. He was the one who suggested the exhumation. He even said, jokingly, that he'd save me the money and do it all for me. He said he could have a crew of men ready in a second," Mrs. Wielder paused in her monolog and gave a sad smile. "He is such a good man. He's helped me through so much…my husband, my daughter…so much has happened, and now this. Now someone has taken her away…" It was all starting to get to Mrs. Wielder and she started to sob softly.

Missy stood and moved so she was crouched in front of the elder woman and took her hands in her's. "Mrs. Wielder, I promise you we will find your daughter and bring her back. We'll stop this man."

* * *

Frank was waiting for her when she walked out of the conference room, leaning against the observation room's rear wall. By the look on his face she could tell that he had been listening to the conversation. He gave her a small smile that almost looked smug but wasn't quite snobbish enough to manage it.

She sighed heavily and shook her head, "Alright, you win. After we stop by the diner we'll go see the Father again."

Frank's smile turned into an all out grin and stood to full height, "Thought you'd say that."

"Where's Joe?" Missy asked unable to resist smiling back.

"He headed over to the forensic lab with Leroy. They left shortly after you went in to talk with Mrs. Wielder. Shall we go to lunch?"

"Lunch? Is it that late already?" Missy asked confused.

"Yup. And I hear Maggie's Philly is a great place to get some lunch."

"Oh it is, is it?"

"Yeah…so how 'bout it? Can a guy buy a girl lunch?" Frank said, offering her his arm.

"Why not?" Missy said accepting, "But you are really buying, right?"

Frank just laughed.

* * *

"Hello Grace, how are you this morning? I didn't expect to find you here," Leroy said warmly as he gave a small lovely black lady a hug.

"Well hello Leroy, I'm doing just fine thank you. I was dropping off some trace. Hey listen, I heard about Missy Woo. Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She's got a hotel room and she has two partners, in fact…Hey Joe come here," Leroy motioned for Joe, who had be hanging back, to come.

"Grace Crown, this is Joe Hardy. His brother and he are helping Missy and the Police Department for this one. Joe, grace is the top Medical Examiner for the county. You won't find one better."

"Oh Leroy….It's nice to meet you Joe," Grace said, blushing slightly.

"You too ma'am. So are you the coroner for this case?" Joe asked once the pleasantries had been done.

"I'm afraid so. I've been on it since the beginning, every autopsy," Grace answered.

"In fact the trace I just brought in has to do with the case. It was from the grave robber victim. I might have found some hair."

"Hair? As in something foreign from the body?" Leroy asked sounding almost excited.

"As in something foreign to the body, yes. It's up to the lab to figure out if it was animal or human."

"Grace, I'm so grateful that I could kiss you!" Leroy said pulling her into a hug.

Grace laughed, a delightful sound, and pulled away slowly, "Oh Leroy, what would your wife say? Anyway boys, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get back. There was a pile up and it's all hands on deck. It was nice meeting you Joe. Stop by my office sometime and I can show you some of the reports with you."

Joe flushed slightly and his eyes grew wide, "Bodies are my brother's filed, I can't stand coroner's offices."

Another laugh escaped Grace and she left the two with a smile ear to ear.

Leroy and Joe moved down the hall to the offices held by the hand writing exports silently. They arrived to find the two letters that had been 'sent' to Missy projected onto the wall and a man furiously making notes on the page.

"Hey Robert, what have you got?" Leroy called as he and Joe entered.

"Not much," the man mumbled, somewhat miffed about being interrupted. He turned around to look at Leroy and glared when he saw Joe. "What's a kid doing here? This isn't a day care!"

"Now just hold up Robert, this is Joe Hardy, he's helping us," Leroy said calmly, way to tired to deal with the bad tempered export.

"I don't give a crap who he is or who his daddy is! What's he doing here?!"

Joe, for his part, was ignoring the two. His attention was focused on the two notes blown up on the wall. Few people knew, but Joe's specialty was written langue and hand writing. Joe not only knew how to tell a person's feelings from the way they wrote but he also knew several written alphabets and loved to annoy Frank with them. It had always interested him how different symbols could be used to describe different things and a person could tell what another person was doing or feeling just by looking at how they wrote something. That something so insignificant could tell you every thing you needed to know about a person.

"_You've been watching me, well I've been watching you…what could all this watching lead too? A present for you my dear, doesn't it make you want to shed a tear? Woe to you Missy Woo."_

"_I saw you there, did you see me?_

_This game we play, it just isn't fair._

_What do I have to do,_

_To get the chance to meet you?_

_Woe to you Missy Woo……"_

Joe read the words over and over again. He was looking not for any meaning in the sentences but for the way that they were written. The positions of the letters, the spacing, the indentations, and the way the symbols were drawn out. That would tell him what he wanted to know.

"The man's educated, higher education. University maybe, definitely college. He's really smart too. In the letter's are neat and clean, but the way they're looped together, connected, it's sloppy, like he was forcing himself to write neat. And they're shaky, could mean that he wasn't using his dominate hand or he has some injury. So though this was written with the right hand, I wouldn't exclude lefties.

"In the second letter he was rushed so it's sloppier and more spaced out. I'm guessing that the second letter is the one he tossed because of the tares so he probably wrote it on the spot then tossed it. Also he's got a lot of anger that's masked under patents. You can see that he carved into the paper, he pressed really hard, but at the same time he took the time to write neatly…this guy's a psychopath," Joe concluded as he faced the others.

Joe found himself facing a gloating detective and a stunned hand writing export, eyes glaring and mouth hanging open. When he had finally recovered enough to speak he said, "You looked at my notes."

"No, I've been doing this since I was five. My daddy taught me," Joe said a bit condescendingly.

Leroy, still grinning slapped Robert's on the back, "I take it by the expression on your face that's exactly what you got as well and there's no more to add?" Robert just glared, "Uh-huh. So the kid just gave me all the information we have from these letters in less time and with just as much accuracy as you. So tell me again Robert, how did you get this job?"


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"_Woe to you Missy Woo…."_

_There was a brown haired girl who hated herself; face distorted, fuzzy and out of focus. She saw a truth and she lost her life._

_There was a boy in growing shadow, with brown hair who was scared. He was holding on to a girl with red hair and desperately……_

_Desperately what? _

_He was desperate, scared, something was terrifying him…something behind her?_

"_I'll come for you…"_

_There was a blond haired boy to faraway to see clearly but desperately afraid of something behind them. Running to……_

_Where?_

_He was running in place. He was trying to get to something…someone? Trying to get away from someone?_

"_I'll come for you…"_

_The brown haired girl beckoned; the prize of some dark and twisted game. _

_The brown haired boy was back, but he was shadows, only shadows. _

_The red haired girl was slipping away and the blond was shouting wordlessly; screaming soundlessly. _

_The red head was slipping away and desperately afraid._

"_Woe to you Missy Woo…"_


	17. Chapter 16

I hope you all had a good holiday and wish you a wonderful New Years. Sorry that I didn't update sooner, but I hope the chapters (15 and now 16) makes up for it.

To answer a question I got, no Grave Digger has no connection to Control. It does tie in with Pine Box but you don't really have to read it to understand Grave Digger.

Anyways, thanks for reading and just a warning, in the next few chapters the rateing will be going up.

Enjoy.

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* * *

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**Chapter 16**

Missy screamed as she felt a hand brush her shoulder and if it wasn't for the seatbelt she would have flown through the roof.

"Hey, it's alright, it's ok…It's me, you're alright…" a familiar voice said soothingly, with all the practice of someone who had done this a hundred times.

Franticly Missy opened her eyes and searched for the one who was talking. Her eyes rested on Frank. "Oh my God…" she gasped as she started to come to her senses.

"You ok?" Frank asked, his brown eyes scanning her.

"Yeah…just peachy…" she laughed bitterly as she extracted herself from her seat. "Jeez a girl closes her eyes for a second and she has a nightmare…."

"About the case?" Frank asked as he helped her stand.

"You could say that…remember I told you that the police let me hang around 'because I could sense things they couldn't?" she asked him.

Frank raised his eyebrows, but said nothing; just nodded. She sighed inwardly knowing that he was one of the skeptics but she couldn't blame him for it.

"Anyways, I think I just got my first sense of the case, for whatever reason I think I have a connection forming between myself and the psychopath we're looking for."

"What did you see?"

Missy studied him for a minuet, trying to see if there was any deception in his face. There had been others in the past who had 'believed' her, only to use the information against her. More then one investigation had ended in the courtroom with the defense questioning her creditability.

"It was just a dream, a sick and twisted dream caused by stress," Missy said cautiously.

Frank shrugged, "So. Doesn't hurt to talk about it, especially since dreams often offer the best solutions to problems."

Missy smiled, "You're skeptic. You said so when I first told Joe and you about my 'instincts'."

"True, but I that don't mean I don't believe dreams offer solutions. I did my psychology project on dreams. Truth is most people dream when they have an unsolved problem. It's the subconscious working on it for them. I'd say you went to bed with an unsolved problem, a tiny one but still…so what did you dream?"

Missy had to laugh, his frankness was too cute and she was too tired not too. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you," she submitted then paused to consider how she would tell him.

She took a deep breath and chose her words carefully, "There were four people and they all appeared in a sequence. The first was a brown haired girl; her features were distorted and misshapen. I couldn't tell who she was or if I had seen her before. She was just standing there, doing nothing. And I was staring at her for so long she went out of focus and when she came back into focus, she was a he. And he was in shadow so I couldn't see his face, but he was holding onto a girl, a red head. She had her face turned away from me, but I'm pretty sure it was me. Then I flashed on a blond running towards us and yet again I couldn't see a face. All I could really tell was that everyone was scared and desperate about something and in the end the red head was left alone with everything around her in shadow."

Missy had been looking at her feet as she spoke, afraid of what she would see in Frank's eyes. When she was finished though, she risked a glance and was surprised to find no hints of humor in his face, only the look of deep thinking.

"Want to hear what I think?" Frank asked, breaking a minuet's silence.

"Sure," Missy said hesitantly.

"I think that the threats this guy has been sending you combined with the stress of the investigation is starting to get to you. Not that I'm saying you should quit or take it easy," Frank added quickly before Missy let into him, then continued, "What I'm saying is…this guy obviously knows you, and the logical conclusion is that he's following you. That's got to freak any body out, for get the fact you've seen first hand what he's done. Now you're worried about why he's following you and what that means for yourself as well as those around you."

Missy considered what he said, and couldn't deny the logic behind his words. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her dream then that. Her dreams, visions, instincts, whatever you wanted to call them, had never done her wrong as long as she listened to them. But how could she listen to a song when she couldn't hear the melody? Frank had a point, it was a valid point and not to be tossed to the side, but she knew herself and she new her talent. The dream wasn't brought on by stress, and it defiantly was a message. Now she just had to figure out what it said.

"Why don't we go eat," Missy said with a smile as her response. Frank rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he followed her to the Dinner.

* * *

Leroy and Joe pulled into the police station around lunch time. Leroy was in a fairly good mood and had been ever since Joe showed up the hand writing export. Apparently Leroy had never liked the guy's high and mighty attitude and having a teenager show him up just made his day. To top that off the girl from trace had tracked them down before they left the crime lab to give them her report.

The fibers found on the victim were artificial blond hairs from a wig. She was tracing the manufacturer now and would call with any new information. It was turning out to be a very good day for the detective.

Joe, however, was contemplating everything about the case. Something was bothering him and he couldn't put his finger on it, which annoyed him to no end. He hadn't even notice that they had arrived at their destination.

"Hey, Hardy," Leroy barked as he exited the car.

Joe startled and looked over at him, then blushed when he realized they had stopped. "Sorry," he mumbled as he too exited the car, "Must have been day dreaming."

Leroy studied him a moment with a very stern look that made Joe shuffle a bit. Then his face broke into a lopsided smirk, almost a smile. "Tell you what, I'll take care of the boring stuff and you go get us lunch. Go on down to Ernie's Deli, the station's got a running tab with 'em. Just give them this," Leroy said as he pulled out a piece of paper with 'Feed Me' written on it.

Joe took the note and looked at it quizzically causing Leroy to laugh.

"It's an on going gag between us. Don't worry about it just give it to Ernie and ask for the normal scraps."

Joe shrugged, and nodded, "Alright, just tell me how to get there."

"Head straight towards the light about a block from the station, can't miss it."

"Be back in a few," Joe said as he headed off. He didn't care that he was being used as an errand boy, the walk just gave him time to think and that was what he needed. Besides, he was going to get food out of the deal too.

He had been walking for about five minuets on the nearly deserted street when he came upon an ally way. A man leaned against a dumpster breathing heavily with his arm around his ribs, his face turned to the brick wall behind him so that Joe couldn't get a clear look. The man looked greasy and dirty. He had on rags of cloths, all of them stained and threadbare. He was unshaven and in need of a bath; his order being so strong Joe could smell it from where he stood. Nevertheless though, the man appeared hurt and Joe wouldn't begrudge him help just because he was homeless.

"Sir, are you alright?" Joe asked as he took a few steps into the ally.

"My….hurt…" the man mumbled and Joe only caught a few words.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Are you alright sir?" Joe asked again, taking a few more steps into towards the man.

"My ribs are busted," the man hissed, turning his body so he was facing Joe more.

His hair hid most of his face from Joe's view, but there was a grimace clear enough to be seen and any doubts Joe had slipped away. "Here let me help you," Joe said now coming into striking distance on the man, a decision he would regret.

As soon as Joe was in reach the man grabbed him and wedged the unsuspecting youth between the dumpster and his body, pushing Joe's face into the brick wall. Joe was so startled that he didn't even try to resist, and thus found himself helplessly pinned.

"Missy Woo has found two friends, but the marry trio will come to an end. Tears will be shed and blood cried when all has been said. Woe to Missy woo, now woe to you two," he hissed into Joe's ear, his breath causing Joe's stomach to flip. But the man's threat had given Joe time to recover from his surprise and now he started to struggle.

This amused the man and he held Joe prisoner for a moment, gloating in the helpless youth fear, before he took hold of a handful of Joe's hair and slammed his head against the wall twice. Joe dropped like a rock, instantly unconscious from the blows, a gash now dripping blood from just under his hair line.

The man watched the blood drip for a moment, fighting the urge to lick it away. But they had told him to threaten, and threaten only. He was forbidden to act on this one. So reluctantly he left Joe in the ally.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Maggie's Philly was a throw back to the fifties. Gleaming chrome and red vinyl along with rock 'n' roll memorabilia were the decor. There were patrons scattered about everywhere with waiters and waitress rushing around to serve them while 'Good Golly Miss Molly,' played through the speakers. The smell of French fries and burgers drifted to Frank and Missy as they entered, and instantly their stomachs began to growl.

Maggie stood at the hostesses' booth, looking a little frazzled, obviously the afternoon rush was just winding down and she was the only one on hostess duties. She glanced up when she heard the door open, ready to count out menus when she spotted Frank and Missy. A ghost of a smile played at her lips and she turned to the kitchen, signaling to someone behind the counter. A blond haired boy with several pricings came over to her just as Frank and Missy reached the booth.

"Hey Victor, I need ten minuets, think you can man the door?" she asked, nodding her head towards Frank and Missy.

Victor looked at the two then back to Maggie and shrugged, "No problem, booth eight is open, but make it quick; your dad's on the war path."

"Thanks," she said with a smile and then turned to the other, "Come on Sir and Ma'am, I'll show you to your table."

Frank gave his best boy scout smile and thanked them and Missy wondered if he even knew how charming he was. 'A mystery for another day,' she decided as they followed Maggie to booth eight. Once the introductions were done and Maggie had taken care of the orders, the three began the interview.

"So how you doing Maggie? Did you get home alright?" Frank asked, like the big brother he was.

"Yeah…I'm just creped…" she said softly, fiddling with a ring on her finger.

Frank studied her for the first time in the light. She was still pale with the dark hair, but what he had first thought was black actually was a dyed blue. It was pulled back from her face in a pony-tale, allowing her big brown eyes to be seen clearly. She wasn't in all black this time, rather a flattering blue dress and there was no sign of the pricings on her face. She looked normal, which Frank found slightly disappointing.

"I can believe it," Missy said as she accepted a glass of sprit form their waiter who then hurried away, "I've had my fun ins with this guy as well."

"You have?" Maggie asked, locking eyes with the red head detective.

"Yeah, he's threatened me twice. One was a note left on one of the victims. Another note was tossed through my living room window. Each one held personal details…"

"I wasn't threatened," Maggie said, "I just saw him dig up the grave and…" her voice trailed off as she went back to playing with her ring.

Frank had a sense that there was something else that she hadn't told him, something else to explain the fear that was so apparent in her then just glimpsing a grave robber. A quick glance at Missy showed he wasn't the only one. Missy caught his eyes and gave him a visual nudge to take the point in this interview.

"Maggie," he said calmly, leaning towards her, "I know that you told me what happened last night, but can you tell me again, so that Missy can hear it? We'll stop when ever you want, and we won't push you. But we need to hear what happened again. Ok?"

Maggie sighed and nodded, "I spent a few hours at my brother's grave last night and then it started to rain so I decided to go home. I started to walk and that's when I saw the guy digging. At first I thought it was one of the Order…"

"The Order?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, they're a under ground Goth club around here. I started hanging out with them with Philly. The Order is short for The Order of Living Corspes. Unlike other goths, the focuse on Zombies and Voodoo instead of Witchcraft and Vampiers. And one of the ways to get in the Order is stealing something from a grave, not the body or any part of the body, but clothing or something," Maggie looked at the two, a challenge in her eyes, dareing them to call her a freak. But they kept their faces blank and said nothing, so she went on.

"I started to head over to see who it was, and that's when I noticed he wasn't any member of the Order."

"How could you tell?" Missy asked.

Maggie was silent and refused to look at anything except her ring.

After a few moments, Frank took over again, "So you knew that he wasn't part of the Order, right now it doesn't matter how," he added for Missy. "What happened next?"

"I hide in the bushes and watched the guy until he packed the body away in his truck. Then he came back and started to look around, I guess he was cleaning up. I slipped on something and I think he heard me, cause he looked over in my direction, so I ran and that's when I bumped into Father Marks."

"Do you mind if we ask you some detailed questions," Missy asked when Maggie was done.

"Do I have a choice? Ask away," Maggie said with a sigh. By now their food had arrived and the three were working on their meal slowly.

"Did you notice if he had set up…an alter of some kind?"

"You mean the candles? Yeah, he even had an umbrella over them so the rain wouldn't put them out. There was also a bunch of weeds tossed around. I think I heard him break some glass, I don't know."

"Did you get a look at him or the truck?" Missy went on.

"Not really…" Maggie said thoughtfully, "He was tall and I don't think he was fat. He was dressed in black and lose trench coat. His hair was short, but it was to dark to see his face. All I could see was the shell of the truck and that was it. Sorry," she added, with bit of a blush.

"No, that's fine. You're the first person to even be able to give a general description," Frank praised. "By any chance can you tell me what Father Mark's was wearing?"

"Father Marks, why?" Maggie asked, clearly confused.

"Just cause..." Frank said with a shurge.

"He was wearing his normal stuff I guess, I was a little freaked at the time though and just glad to see him."

"Understood," Missy said and casted Frank a dark look.

"How do you know the Father?"

"My family goes to his church, he's the one who burried Philly."

"How long have you know him? How long has he preached at your church?"

"I don't know, Since I little; did somting happen to the Father? Maggie asked, worried.

"No, he's fine. Frank's just trying to get as much information as he can," Missy assured, casting Frank another dark look. 'Why is he so caught up on Father Marks?'

"There's just one more thing we need to know, but you can tell me if to piss off if you want, alright?" Frank continued, ignoring Missy.

Maggie looked up at Frank carefully, taking in his honest eyes and charming smile. Again she couldn't explain why she trusted him or how he could make her feel calm, he just did. And yet again she felt that she had to tell him what she knew, so she nodded her head and waited for him to go on.

"You said that you knew it wasn't the Order or someone you knew, how did you know?" Frank asked, meeting her gaze.

Maggie paled and started to chew on her lip, and Frank felt his stomach tie itself into knots. Whatever the answer it was clear that this was the cause of Maggie's fear and he hated pushing her, but they had to know. He could see her eyes now, looking around for escape; an excuse to get her away from them. Then they settled on Frank, locked on him, and he saw a battle wagging in her mind. He feared that they had lost her, that she would tell then to piss off and walk away, but then she took a breath and started to speak.

"Like I said, the Order doesn't steal bodies," Frank let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and he heard Missy sigh as well.

"This guy, he wasn't just stealing the body…I didn't get a good look but I swear he was…I swear he was having sex with it…."

The two detectives were silent for a moment, disgusted at what they had just learned.

'No wonder she's scared,' Missy thought as a shudder ran through her. The admission by the girl was even more disturbing when you had seen the evidence; she had no doubt that Maggie had told them the truth; that they now knew everything Maggie knew. But there was something inside Missy that told her they weren't finished. She leaned closer to Maggie, taking the girl's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, ignoring the fact that the girl was shaking. "Maggie, you've done really good, and believe me when I say you've helped us a lot. Now, we won't take up much more of your time, but I got one more thing to ask you, alright?"

Maggie nodded, her eyes still locked with Frank's.

"Is there anyone in the Order who could help us? You said they're an underground club; by any chance would they be able to tell us anything about the Grave Digger? Would they have heard anything?"

Maggie shifted her gaze over to Missy, a considering look on her face. "You know, there might. Some of the members are street kids and the sleep in graveyards for safety…"

"Safety?" Frank asked with raised eyebrows.

"You break into some guy's tomb; hide in the shadows, nobody's going to know. Who's going to come looking for you in a graveyard at night? Anyways, they may know something," Maggie said, regaining what Frank thought was some of her normal personality.

"Do you think you can get a couple of them to came talk to us?" Missy asked hopefully.

"No, they wouldn't be caught dead at a police station. Most of the Order are good kids, straight a, church goers who just needed some place to be bad. But the ones you want, they're Juvie Regulars. Runaways, street kids, the police know them on sight. No, if you want to talk to them you have to come to them."

Missy glanced over at Frank who had been following the conversation and seemingly was able to read her mind. He shrugged and nodded as answer to her unasked question. Missy nodded then turned back to Maggie, "Think you could help us with that?"


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Leroy Glanced at his office door, through which had just entered Missy and Frank, both nearly shaking with excitement.

"I take it things went well at the Dinner?" he asked as he went back to the zillions of papers that covered his desk.

"Sure did, we think we have a way in…" Missy began excitedly, bringing Leroy up to date with what Maggie had told them.

"Yeah, apparently the Order meet three times a week and there's a meeting tonight. Maggie says that she'll be able to get an 'audience' with the 'High Order,' who ever they are. And while Missy and Joe are at the gathering, then I can go talk to Father Marks," Frank finished.

"Jesus, what is your obsession with Father Marks? He's been cleared as a suspect! He was cleared from the start, everyone with accesses to the graveyards were" Missy snapped, glaring at Frank.

Frank, used to dealing with Joe, took no offence, "I'm sure he was, I'm sure they all were. I don't think that he has anything to do with the killings. However, I think he may know the killer with out knowing what they're doing. As a Father, he has a lot of responsibilities, he talks and takes care of a lot of people; opening his door to those who need help…"

"You're talking about the homeless shelter?" Leroy asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Frank nodded.

Leroy sat back in his chair and studied Frank for a moment, "What's your reasoning?"

"Three things, the first two I got from the case files. First, all the bodies that were stolen were taken from grave yards attached to churches, and all those churches offer a form of Winter Haven, or Homeless Shelters. They are also all Catholic churches, which plays into the ritual side of the killer. Same tactics used for the robberies, same branch of Church to steal the bodies. Second, all the bodies were dumped in, and I quote the files, 'Known homeless areas.' And finally, it is a known fact that criminals, especially psychopaths and sociopaths, start in places they are most comfortable. If you look at the first crime to be the grave robbery, then your first crime scene is Old Wales Cemetery. The first kidnapping also took place just three blocks from there."

"You combined them all and you get one equation that brings you to the same solution, Church plus homeless shelter, plus grave yard equals murder. At least we hope," Leroy said thoughtfully. "There's just one problem, your brother and our handwriting guy both say that the guy has a higher education." Leroy then went on to tell the two about their adventure at the lab.

Frank just shrugged, his excitement knocked down a few notches, "Just because you went to Harvard doesn't mean you instantly make in the world. He may have been educated but hit hard times. That may even have been the trigger for all we know."

"Yes, but what does any of that have o do with Father Marks?" Missy asked, irritated.

"Really nothing, except that he has to know most of the men in the shelter if he's been there for as long as Maggie says he has. He also has to know a few of the other Fathers from the vandalized churches. All I want to do is question him, nothing else," Frank responded with another shrug.

"Fine," Maggie gave in, unable to argue with the logic, "But you're not going alone. We have a few hours before we have to meet Maggie again, so why don't we collect Joe, fill him in and head over together to talk to the Father."

"Hmmm…" was Frank's reply as he glanced around the room and then back to Leroy, "Where is Joe, by the way?"

Leroy raised his eye brows and glanced at a clock on his desk, "Ya know what? I haven't clue. I sent him out to get lunch about an hour ago when we got back from the lab. Haven't seen him since."

"Oh, well, never mind then," Missy said with a smile, "judging by the way he ate his breakfast, and most of Frank's, this morning he's probably still eating." Leroy snickered, but Frank didn't seem to notice and something about the way he looked made Missy start to worry. "Frank?"

"Sorry, my little brother sense is ringing. Where did you send him?" Frank asked, already heading for the door.

Leroy gave Frank the same directions he had given Joe and watched the Hardy boy leave with a quizzical look on his face. "Wonder what's gotten into him?" Leroy asked Missy.

She just shrugged as she stared at the empty space once filled by Frank, then turned her attention back to Leroy, "I have no idea."

* * *

Joe came to with a disstent ringing in his ears; as if he was at one end of a tunnel and the world another. He heard traffic and people moving about; the sounds of daily life invading his world, but as if it was all miles away. When he dared to open his eyes, the world was bright with just a touch of darkness around the edges and everything was in pairs.

At first he couldn't remember what had happened, but as he sat up and tried to keep from vomiting, a lingering smell invaded his nostrils. It all came back to him in a flash. The 'hurt' homeless guy, Joe coming to the rescue, the guy pinning him against the dumpster and wall, the warning…he let out a groan that basically said, 'I can't believe I let myself fall for that.'

Joe sighed as he felt his stomach ease up and again he risked opening his eyes again. There was still two of everything, but at least they didn't resemble a disco ball reflecting the sun anymore. Progress; he still decided to sit awhile though. Several moments went by before the annoying ringing that had first awakened him started again. But Joe was too dazed to know what it was or to care. Right now, his focus was on his throbbing head.

* * *

"Come on Joe, pick up your phone," Frank mumbled as he hit the redial button. When Leroy had said that he sent Joe out a nagging had started at the base of his gut, what he called his little brother sense. This was sense that he developed after years of taking care of Joe and usually meant only one thing, Joe was in trouble, yet again.

After getting no reply for he second time, Frank headed out of the police station and started to follow the directions that Leroy had given. He had made it about half a block when he came across an alleyway where sat his goal.

"Joseph Hardy!" Frank snapped as he made his way to his brother.

Joe looked up at his brother and offered him a small smile, causing Frank to stop in mid step. Joe looked terrible, his face was pale with angry red scrapes on one cheek. Not to mention that his eyes looked hollow and he made no move to stand when he saw Frank.

"Hey there bro…" he said softly, and the slight slur to his words didn't go unnoticed by Frank though they were enough to help recover from his shock.

"Well I guess you didn't make it to the Deli," Frank said as he crouched down in front of his bother and started to examine him. "Does your head hurt?"

"My head…naw, not at all…" Joe replied sarcastically as he pulled away from Frank slightly.

Frank gave him a 'look' and continued the conversation, "Can you tell e what happened?"

"Yeah…I thought a homeless guy needed some help and he got the drop on me…." Sudden realization hit Joe as he replied the events in his mind and he started to shake.

"Joe, what is it? What's wrong?" Frank asked, alarmed.

"It was him Frank…the guy who jumped me…it was the Grave Digger!"


	20. Chapter 19

Frank had insisted that Joe get checked out by a doctor and all were relieved to hear that he would be fine. He was more shaken then hurt and would make a speedy recovery, as long as he got some rest. But Joe, of course, refused to do anything more but take a shower, change his Clothes and eat lunch while Missy and Frank brought him up to date. And of course he insisted on going with them to talk to the Father and going to the club with Maggie and Missy that night.

"I'm fine," Joe told Frank for the hundredth time, "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. The doctor even said so." The three young detectives were gathered in the hotel's restraint patiently waiting for on Joe.

"You're sure?" Frank asked again, only to have to dodge a French fry. "Alright, alright, as long as you're sure."

"Joe," Missy interrupted before Joe could throw another fry at his brother. Instead he stuck his tongue out at Frank and then turned his attention to Missy.

"Yes ma'am," he said as charmingly as he could, ignoring a snort from Frank.

"Can you tell me exactly what he said to you?" Missy asked in a no nonsense tone.

Joe thought for a moment, trying to focus, "I think he said "Missy Woo has found friends, but the trio will come to an end… Woe to you two," but I don't remember the exact words.

"Sounds like the notes," Missy said bitterly after a couple of minuets.

"Same rhyme scheme, same rhythm," Joe agreed.

"So, we know he's watching us, and we know that he knows us. But we don't know him, we don't know what his name is, what his motive is, or anything else about him," Missy sighed, frustrated.

"That's not true," Frank said after a few minuets of silence, "we know one thing."

"What's that?" Joe asked.

"He's scared."

* * *

The three pulled up to St. Mary's just as the sky opened up. What had been a bright and sunny morning had quickly changed to an over cast and gray afternoon, finally breaking into a heavy drizzle when the three arrived at their destination. "Why does it always have to rain when we're near a grave yard?" Joe grumbled as they exited the car.

"November in Maryland, if it doesn't snow it Pours," Missy replied.

"Bet you wished you stayed at the hotel now, don't ya?" Frank snickered smugly.

"Bet ya wished you stayed at the hotel…" Joe mocked as reply as he nudged Frank a bit roughly with his shoulder.

"I said 'bet you,' not 'bet ya'," Frank stated as he shoved him back.

"Oh…so we're getting specific now are we?" Joe teased, again nudging Frank.

"You know they say when you have a head injury the first thing to go is memory and I don't know Joe, if you can't remember what I just said maybe you should be back at the hospital…" Frank said, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't make me hurt you…" Joe warned falling instep behind Frank.

Missy just rolled her eyes and opened the door to the church, "Are you two coming?" she called as she entered the sanctuary.

"Yeah, we're coming," Joe called eyeing Frank with a mischievous smile.

"Watch it Bro, we're entering a church," Frank warned, cautiously eyeing his brother from over his shoulder.

"What ever are you talking about dear brother?" chimed Joe, who was looking very suspicious

"Save it boys; playtime latter, case time now," Missy finally said, unsure if she was amused by the brothers or annoyed.

"Yes mom," Joe sighed as the brother's joined her inside.

The sanctuary was breathtaking. With high arch ways and marble floors drew the eye towards the alter, where there was a curtain of stained glass behind an alter made of rose wood. A cross of gold hung above the alter, again drawing the eye. To one side of the church there were the confessionals and behind that a door that led to the church's other offices.

Missy led the way through the sanctuary and then the maze of hallways to Father Marks' small office. The office was small but comfortable with full book cases lining the walls, two over stuffed chairs to make a reading area by the only window and a simple oak desk facing the door. Father Marks was seated behind the desk, engrossed in some paper work.

She knocked lightly on the door startling the father out of his work, but still he greeted the three with a smile. "Greetings Miss Woodrow, and Mr. Hardy, it's nice to see you again." he said coming around to shake Frank and Missy's hands. When he got to Joe though, he offered his hand but said, "I am afraid I don't know your name Mr. …?"

Joe smiled boyishly, "Joe Hardy. His younger brother," he added nodding his head towards Frank.

The Father's smile widened and he gave a nod, "I see. Well, won't you three please come in? Would you care for anything?"

"No thank you Father, we'd just like to ask you a few questions," Frank said as he basically forced Joe to sit, while Missy took the other chair by the window.

"Questions, may I ask about what?"

"The grave robbery last night for starters," Frank said, keeping his tone very neutral despite feelings of unrest.

The Father frowned slightly, "I don't understand, I thought I told the police everything I knew. Has something changed?"

"Nothing has changed Father. I just have a new theory on the grave robberies. I wanted to ask you about your homeless program, I believe you have a shelter?"

The Father looked considering at Frank for a moment, and then nodded his head. "Yes, we do. We and four other churches share a grant that allows us to operate a homeless shelter and soup kitchen. We cater to the needs of over three hundred of the area's homeless men and women."

"Yes, St. Josephs, Holy Cross, St. Mathew's, and St. Paul's. Those four churches, as well as yours, all share ground with cemeteries and have all had grave robberies committed by the Grave Digger. Thus tying you to him," Frank said.

"Are you accusing someone of the church?" Father Marks asked with amused offense.

"No, not at all," Frank replied, sincerely, "I am curious about the homeless men you shelter. Is there anyone that stands out? Anyone that seems to be educated and disgruntled? Anyone who may have access to the cemetery and church equipment?"

The Father got a far away look in his eyes as he thought about what Frank had asked. The room was quite for a time before he answered, "yes, there is a man that fits what you are asking. His name is Kyle, and I sometimes ask him to help me walk the graveyard at night, but that is all I can tell you. I'm afraid anything else is private."

"We understand Father, you've helped us enough as is," Missy said before Frank got a chance to say anything.

"Is, by any chance, Kyle here today Father?" Frank asked, daring Missy with his eyes to interrupt.

"Yes, as a matter of fact he is here today."

"May we speak to him?" Joe asked, hopefully.

"That'll be up to him. He's in the kitchen the last time I saw him. It's down the hall to the left, second door. It's marked, you can't miss it. I'm sorry though, you'll have to find your own way I have confessions I about five minuets and I have to prepare. Kyle is a tall man, about two hundred or so pounds with curly red hair and a scar on his face."

"Thank you again Father for all your help," Missy said as she and Joe stood and moved next to Frank.

The father gave her a glowing smile, "Not at all Miss. Woodrow. It was pleasant seeing you again. Stay as long as you like and come back anytime. Now if you excuse me, I must go," the father said as he nodded his head at the three then walked out of the room.

"Why are you so convinced that the church has something to do with this?" Missy asked Frank, irritated.

"Why are you so convinced that they don't?" Frank snapped back, then softened his voice, "Come on Missy, you told us that you have these extra strong senses. What are they telling you? What does your gut tell you about this case?"

Missy sighed and closed her eyes. In her head she ran over all the facts that they knew and started to trace the connections. In her mind she could see the possibilities now all laying out. Some of them were sharper, meaning she wanted to believe those realities more then the others, and some of them were fuzzy. It were those ideas that she looked at more closely now.

After a few minuets she opened her eyes again and looked at Frank, "I don't like it. But the more I see it, the more it makes sense…."

"See what?" Joe asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"The possibility," she answered with a shrug. "A lot of general facts fit together and support Frank's theory."

Joe didn't look any less confused, but that wasn't her fault. How could she explain her inner sight to another person? She found out a long time ago that she couldn't, so she just stopped trying.

"So you agree with me that we at least have to explore this option?" Frank asked.

"Yes, I agree. Let's go see Kyle," Missy conceded.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

They were worried. The police had no clue. People had no clue. But these three did. These three threatened every thing They had built. They were worried, and They were screaming.

He did his best to sooth them, to reassure them. But he was mortal and They were perfect. They were all knowing. They were from Him. They worked for Him, and so They knew.

He would have to strike soon. He would have to shake the three up. He would have to make them stop. His plain was in motion, he just needed an opportunity. He'd watch the three and wait. He'd wait for his chance, wait for them to separate, wait for them to mess up, to underestimate him.

The blond would be his best chance. The blond was reckless and impulse off. He acted without thinking ad would be easy to lure away from the safety of the other two. Plus he was young, and young was always best. Strong always more enjoyable then weak. But then they were all young, but the blond was the youngest and stubbornness. He was hurt and still there…the scrapes on his skin were attractive… still red and inflamed. Te blond was his best luck of catching…

But the brown haired…he was his favorite. He was the match that he'd been looking for. But he doubted he would catch him. He was smart, cautious. He was rational and didn't seem likely to get separated from the group. He was the preferred one, but the least likely. It would take something tremendous to catch him and as of now he had no idea what that would be.

Then there was Missy Woo. She was his thorn. Since the beginning she had been closer to finding him and They then anyone else. She was the dangerous one. It was she that offered the biggest threat and it wasn't just her detective skills that They feared. She was more intoned, more sensitive to things then They were comfortable. She was the one They wanted to get rid of. They had chosen her.

Thy had given him permission to break the rules, to break the pattern if he needed too. They had said he could chose who was best, as long as it was soon. They and he were watching now, the three moving around so with in reach. They were scared. They wanted him to grab one. But it wasn't time yet. He couldn't, not now, not here, not like this. They would grudgingly wait, but They were not happy.

They and he watched them move, they and he watched them work. They had given permission for him to take the one he chose as long as it was the one They wanted.

Whatever happened though, it was sure to hurt. It was sure to confuse. It was sure to cause panic. Whoever he chose, the left overs would be struck dumb. He was sure that they wouldn't know how to go on, what to do. They assured him of this. They said so. They believed it, so it had to be right.

Whatever happened Missy Woo would not be able to function. Missy Woo wouldn't be able to see clearly. She wouldn't be able to sense They. Whatever was done would be enough to give They time. And if he failed, then They would move on. They would leave him. And he didn't want that. And They knew it. So They knew he would stop Missy Woo.

"Woe to you Missy Woo…."


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Kyle was in deed a tall man, with a very, very ugly scar that went from eye brow to the corner of his mouth. His red hair was cut close to his head. His cloths were worn thin, but neat and it was obvious he was trying very hard to pretend that he wasn't homeless. Even with his noticable features, he wouldn't have been hard to miss. He was the only one in the kitchen as the three detectives came in.

He eyed them as they entered suspiciously, some how knowing that they were coming for him. As they approached he pulled away from his spot by the sink and started to head out the other kitchen door.

Joe, being the closest to Kyle, made it to the door first. He just cleared the doorway before two big hands reached out and grabbed him, slamming him into the wall. Joe felt his world spin out of focus and the edges of his vision grow black and fuzzy and he could barely make out what was being said around him.

"What do you want kid?" Kyle growled, but Joe was too stunned to answer.

"Hey!" exclaimed Frank as he came onto the scene, "Let him go! We just want to talk!"

"Talk about what?" Kyle demanded as he turned his attention to Frank and Missy, keeping a firm grip on Joe.

"About the graveyard and the robberies. We want to know what you've seen, that's it. The Father says you take care of the grounds and all we want to know if you noticed any body hanging around who shouldn't be," Missy said rather quickly, eyeing Joe's blanching color, "And he's about to pass out, so could you please let him go."

Kyle looked at Joe, startled, before releasing him. Joe would have collapsed if Frank hadn't caught him and lowered him to the floor.

"I didn't think I hit him that hard," mumbled Kyle.

"You didn't," Joe said between several deep breaths, "another guy did, you just didn't help."

"Sorry 'bout that, I just don't like people coming after me," Kyle said, "So you wanted to ask me about the grave robberies? I can tell you that I don't know that much, just that I found a few of them. That's all I really know."

"What were you doing when you found them," Frank asked from his position by Joe's side.

"I was ground keeping; you know pulling weeds and taking away the dead flowers. Cleaning up the trash and making sure no animals have gotten in. Just things like that."

"Did you notice anyone around when you were working? Any other homeless or just people who didn't belong?" Missy continued.

"That one is easy, there are always people who do not belong," was the answer.

"Alright, but anyone who stood out more then the others?" Missy clarified.

"Yes as a matter of fact, there was. A group of teenagers, Goth kids. We get them all the time, but these kids are everywhere. They like to go back to mass graves and dig up some of the bones there. It's some kind of test to get into a Goth cult or something. Their leader is a real piece of work. He's about twenty and has a good build, healthy looking except when he puts on his costume; then he looks like a zombie. He gets violent sometimes; once I had to chase him away from one of the homeless girls who use the graveyard for shelter. He kept trying to grab her. There's something wrong with him."

"There you are, for a moment I thought you had gotten lost," came Father Marks' voice from the doorway.

"No one got lost Father, just decided to talk out here," Kyle said, offering a smile.

"I see. I came back into the kitchen for some water and there was no one there, well I'm glad that you're not lost. This old church has some strange nicks and crannies. Are you alright Joe?" Marks concluded as he saw Joe huddled on the floor.

"I'm fine Father, thanks."

"Well now, if everything is alright I'll leave you alone to talk," Marks said, eyeing Joe disbelievingly.

"That's alright Father," Missy reassured, then turning to Frank and Joe added, "We have to get going if we want to meet Missy and make it to the 'Order meeting.'"

"I believe you're right," Frank agreed as he rose to his feet then helped Joe up, "Thank you Kyle and Father Marks for your time."

"Anything we can do to help stop this man is never a bother. Come back if you need anything else," The Father assured the three before they made their way out.

The three walked silently to the car trying to piece together what was useable and what wasn't. They all three had a feeling that the Goth kids Kyle was talking about was Maggie's Order and that the guy Kyle told them about was the leader.

If what Kyle had told them was true, then they had their first suspect.


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

_There was a blond haired boy to faraway to see clearly but desperately afraid of something. Running to……_

_Where?_

_He was running in place. He was trying to get to something…someone? Trying to get away from someone?_

_There was a brown haired girl who hated herself; face distorted, fuzzy and out of focus. _

_The brown haired girl beckoned; the prize of some dark and twisted game. _

_There was a boy in growing shadow, with brown hair who was scared. He was holding on to a girl with red hair and desperately……_

_He was desperate, scared, something was terrifying him…something behind her?_

_There was a blond haired boy to faraway to see clearly but desperately afraid of something behind them._

_He was running in place. He was trying to get to something…someone? Trying to get away from someone?_

"_Woe to you Missy Woo…"_

"_I'll come for you…."_

…_The prize of some dark and twisted game. She beckoned. The Blond ran scared. The boy held on desperately. The red head slipped away. The figures fell into shadow._

_Distorted._

"_I saw you there, did you see me?_

_This game we play, it just isn't fair._

_What do I have to do,_

_To get the chance to meet you?_

_Woe to you Missy Woo……"_

"_I'll come for you……Missy Woo…now woe to you two…'_


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"Missy are you alright in there?" Joe asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

The sudden sound caused Missy to jump, "Son of a…I'm fine Joe…fine."

"Alright…" Joe said unconvinced, "It's seven thirty and we have to leave in about twenty minuets."

"I'm almost done, be out in a sec."

A few minuets later the three detectives were gathered around Leroy and two techs. Joe and Missy would be wired with a wireless video camera and mic, Frank and the other officers were going to watch.

"Ronny, Joyce and I will be in the police van listening in, Frank will be in your van taking pictures of anyone who goes in or out of the place, wherever it is, and our back up will be in unmarked cars all over the place. I don't like the idea of you and Joe going in there alone, you're not trained cops and who knows what you might be facing, but if this girl will only talk to you…" Leroy finished up with a shrug.

Missy smiled at him, trying to hide her own feelings of dread, "We'll be fine, I promise."

"Joe, are you sure you feel up to this? How's you're head ach?" Frank asked his brother who was looking a little rough around the edges.

Joe perked up when he heard his name and smiled at his brother, "I'm fine worry wart," he teased.

Frank didn't take the bait and met Joe's teasing expression with a serious one, "I can do it if you can't."

Joe sighed and rubbed his head, "Come on Frank, you hate crowds. Really, I'm fine. It's not like we're doing anything life threatening, I mean all we're going to do is interview a guy."

"And if we're even going to do that, we need to get moving, it's almost eight," Missy added in.

Frank shrugged and turned to the officers in the room, "Let's get the show on the road."

* * *

Maggie was waiting for them like she said they would when Frank pulled the Hardy's van up. She had asked them to met her in an alleyway down the street from an abandoned funeral home. Leroy and the rest of the police had pulled back a couple of blocks so they wouldn't set off any alarm bells, thus the three detectives were on their own.

"Hi Maggie," Frank greeted as he, Joe and Missy exited the van.

"Hey," she said eyeing everyone. "Who's he?" she asked, nodding to Joe.

"This is Joe, my younger brother," Frank introduced, "Joe, this is Maggie, our god send."

Joe smiled warmly and took Maggie's hand in his lightly, "Pleasure to met you. I hope you don't mind, but Frank here is not exactly you're crowd kind of guy so I'm standing in for him."

Maggie looked unsure for a moment, but a reassuring nod from Frank set her at ease. "So it's just going to be you and Missy?"

"Just us chickens, yup," Missy said with a smile.

"Ok, I guess….You guys are dressed right, but we have to do you up…make you look like Zombies…Andrew you're clear," Maggie called to someone in the shadows. A short, wiry boy with hot pink spiked hair emerged carrying a bag. "This is Andrew, he's a friend and a make up artist," Maggie explained. "He's going to make you look dead."

A half an hour latter, Joe ad Missy looked like rotting Zombies and were following Maggie and Andrew into the funeral home.

* * *

Out side had been a quiet, almost like a kind of serine street, but inside it was a mess of people, strobes, liquor, nose and smoke.

"The party started at sun down!" Andrew explained, raising his voice over the sounds, "It's been going strong for awhile now! Follow me!"

Joe and Missy did as they were told with Maggie following behind them. The whole walk was a spectacle and Joe was finding hard not to stare at the varies sex acts and 'destructive behavior' around him. There were girls making out with girls, guys forming an orgy, couples having straight out sex, kids getting drunk, people slamming into each other. Everything was chaotic and exotic, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to anything that was going on and nothing was distinguishable. Every now and there someone from the crowd would reach out and grope Joe or Missy and they'd quickly be backed off by Maggie or Andrew.

Everything was just wired.

After what seemed like an hour, the small group reached a back hallway that was seemingly safe from the party. At the end of the hall was a door conveniently labeled crept and two big guys guarding it.

"We have an audience," Andrew said to one of the guys, "pushing up daisies."

The two men wordlessly parted allowing them to enter. And for the second time that night Joe thought he was heading into another world.

* * *

Frank listened over the police radio that Jenkins had given him as the different officers sounded off their positions. A total of ten officers in all and they were at least a block over. The only units that were able to reach Joe and Missy if there was any kind of problem were Jenkins and himself. Not to reassuring considering Jenkins was the only police officer.

With a sigh, Frank replaced his camera on the vacated seat next to him after snapping his latest series of pictures. He was getting ready for another long stretch of boredom when his cell rang.

"Frank Hardy," he said.

"_Hey Hardy."_

"Nancy! What's up?"

"_How's the case going?'_

"We're working a lead. Joe and Missy are under cover now and I'm on a stake out."

"_Right, so I won't call Missy to night…"she paused, before continuing, "How you are holding up, and I don't mean the stake out. I mean, how are you cooping?"_

Frank sighed and ran a hair through his hair, hadn't he and Joe just have this conversation? "I'm ok, it's not the best thing I guess, but I'm ok."

"_What do you mean?"_

"I keep having flash backs. No nightmares yet, but….."

"_If it gets too much, will you promise me you'll stop?"_

"You know I can't Nan."

_There was a smile in her voice now, "I know; which is why I'll be there by tomorrow. See ya soon Hardy."_

And with that the call was over leaving Frank only to shake his head and grin. It was then that he noticed a man dressed in all black with medical bandages wrapped around his face and hands. The man was staring directly at Frank, as if he wanted to ingrain the teen in his memory. It was a little unnerving.

Frank waited until the man turned his gaze away before snapping off a few pictures of the guy. When he was done Frank took the radio and summoned Jenkins.

"Van 1 to van 2…"

"Van 2, go ahead hardy."

"I just saw a guy wrapped up in bandages head in…."

"Yeah, we saw him too."

"I think he made me."

"What makes you say that?"

"Nothing I can put my hands on…."

There was silence.

"Right, understood. Be careful, if anyone starts to head you're way, leave. Understood?"

"Understood," Frank said, as the conversation ended.

And even though the guy had disappeared and Frank could see no one on the street, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

That other world was marked with black lights and strobes. A different soundtrack played in it too, gone was Manson's _Personal Jesus_, replaced by Birthday Massacre's _Lover's End. _Some where there was a fog machine and the white smoke added a theatrical eeriness to the new world.

Over the music, Joe could detect the sounds of orgies and domination, and for the first time he was glad he couldn't see anything. It was going to take him sometime to ride his mind of the entire freak show he'd put himself in.

Missy, however, seemed fascinated by the goings on. Her eyes darted from place to place trying to catch glimpse of what was happening. Not for some perverted sense of interest, but because there was something familiar about this place, something that almost frightened her.

…_Face distorted, fuzzy and out of focus…growing shadow…shadows, only shadows… fell into shadow…Distorted… distorted, fuzzy and out of focus… dark and twisted… beckoned…shadows fell into shadows…growing shadow…growing fuzzy…out of focus…dark and twisted…woe to you…woe to you two…game…dark and twisted…face distorted, growing shadow…beckoned…game…woe…game an woe…._

"Are you alright?" Maggie asked Missy as she pushed her forward.

Missy startled and quickly glanced around before breathing a sigh of relief, "I'm fine. The shadows and smoke are getting to me."

Maggie smiled, "They always do. We're heading to the ice box, that's where the High Order are. They're the ones who you're allowed to talk to."

Missy nodded and continued to make her way through the fog until she came upon a doorway that lead into what she could only describe as a black hole.

_Shadows fell into shadows… shadows, only shadows… dark and twisted…._

Suddenly every alarm that Missy had went off and she **did not** want to go in the 'ice box.' But with Joe ahead of her bravely going in and Maggie behind her, pushing her forward she really didn't have a choice. So she took a deep breath and entered the shadows….

* * *

Frank was half asleep. He hated stake outs with a passion. In fact, it was safe to say he loathed them. Nothing ever happened on stake outs. It was like the bad guys knew that they were being watched and decided to play it safe. Stake outs were the worst form of torture that Frank could imagine, and he was starting to reconsider letting Joe take his place.

"Then again, Joe would be insane by now," Frank mumbled to the steering wheel as he stretched.

A movement caught his attention in front of the former funeral home. A man, a _big_ man with a very, very ugly scar that went from eye brow to the corner of his mouth had just come into view. He was dressed in an old fashioned funeral director's outfit and was preparing to put on a scarecrow like mask. But before he could, Frank managed to snap a few pictures off.

"Well, well, well, Kyle, seems you know these 'Goth kids' better then you let on."


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

I saw you, but you haven't seen me. Not yet. Oh you think you have, but you haven't. They tell me I'm safe. They are excited, because it's soon. Soon…oh so, so, wonderfully soon…I see you!

You think you know everything, the clues are so obvious that you should. But you don't. They laugh at your ignorance. They are amused by you! You're to stupid to figure it out.

I'm looking at you now and yet you don't see me. It makes us giddy, it makes Them sing. Can you hear Them? Can you hear the song They wrote for you?

_I see you, do you see me?_

_This game we play, it just isn't fair._

_I wish for a scream, but I just don't dare._

_Tears will be spilt and blood will be cried._

_I'll do what I have to,_

_S tat I may meet you._

_Oh, woe! What do I have to do,_

_To be seen by you?_

_Woe to you Missy Woo……_

…_Now woe to you two…_

…_And you too._


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N:**

Not to be rude or anything, (so if I am being rude, I'm sorry I'm just really fustrated right now,) but this is the last time I'm going to say this;

**YES I REALLY DO MEAN "BLOOD WILL BE CRIED AND TEARS WILL BE SHED"! **So please stop telling me what I mean.

It'll make since later, I promise. I'll even point it out if you ask me too.

Thank you,

Rabies.

Tye.

* * *

The ice box wasn't so bad…it wasn't so bad…it wasn't so bad. Just cold, and a little on the dark side, but it wasn't so bad.

Or so Missy kept telling herself, though honestly she couldn't stop from shaking. The black hole façade was gone and now torches and candles lit their path and vaguely she could hear the music from outside playing. It was creepy and her senses were in over drive pushing that special sixth sense to its limits. She had to fight to keep her 'visions' under control and found herself losing.

Subconsciously she reached out for Joe and took his hand. He gave her hand a small squeeze and held onto her without looking back and without slowing his pace. He wasn't going to let on to anyone but her that he was freaked too.

'Frank so owes me,' was the only thought that ran around Joe's head at the moment as their strange paraded ended at the back of the ice box. There things just got stranger.

* * *

My heart beets with anticipation, you're so close. But I must remain watchful because They have not deemed it time. They say I will know when. They say They will tell me, but oh how tempting you are.

I see you hang onto him as if he'll protect you, but the horror coming your way can't be stopped. No one can protect you from Them. No one can protect him from Them. Or the other one. No, there is no safety in numbers, no safety at all. But cling to him if you must. Cling to your illusions if they help. If they make you feel safe. Because if they do it'll only make your fear taste sweeter to Them.

They will make your blood cry and shed your tears so all the heavens can see you die. They will make your pain endless and cast you back from where you came. They will send you back to the death you flee from and keep you far from me. They will protect me as long as I do what They ask of me.

They will not turn on me as long as I do not turn on them. They will keep me safe from you who refuse to stay dead and you who seek to help Satin's hordes.

I see you Missy Woo, and Joe too. I see you and wish woe onto you. Woe to you Missy Woe and woe to you two….

* * *

Joe looked around at the gathering before him. There were seven members of the 'High order,' gathered, all in costume and all with masks covering their faces, making it impossible to tell who they were. They sat behind an 'alter' in a fashion that reminded Joe of a mid evil throne room.

In the center of the 'throne room' was a throne where a man in an old fashioned funeral director's costume and a scarecrow's mask sat. There was something familiar about his size and shape that Joe couldn't place but he pushed it back for later. To the man's right was a 'mummy' that Joe couldn't tell if they were man or women. To the left was a dead jester who was most assuredly female. The four others that made up the High Order were simply clad in robes and zombie masks, two on each side of the thrown.

All seven…people…stared at Joe and Missy with cold eyes, as if they were invaders and threatening to destroy their world. And maybe they were in some way. But still, it wasn't the glares that made Joe uneasy; there was a presence here that felt familiar. He glanced over at Missy, who had moved to his side, and noticed her scanning everything around them. When he finally caught her eye the look there told Joe all he needed to know.

The Grave Digger was there. He was in the room with them.

* * *

"Is there any news from them?" came the crackled voice of an officer.

"Not yet. We've got enough evidence to bust these kids for about seven offensives, but nothing on the Grave Digger. Hold tight you all, we don't know if he's actually here," Jenkins answered.

Frank sighed, apparently he wasn't the only one getting tired of this or the only one frustrated.

"Is there any Rookie that we can send out for coffee?" another officer asked, "Or food? I'm starved."

"What, and you think the look out's in that place won't see the guy making the food delivery's? Or getting in and out of the car?" another officer teased.

"Hey, they're probably too stoned by now to notice..."

"Right, when has that ever happened?"

Frank smirked at the conversation; it was so typical to one's he'd had with Joe on nights like these. Normally Joe would win just so Frank could get him to shut up.

"We could make it look like a drug deal," a different officer chimed in.

"Renny!"

"Hey, I'm starving too."

"Alright!" Jenkins barked, ending the chatter, "Hardy, you still with us?"

Frank sighed; he knew he'd be the 'rookie,' "Yes sir?"

"Do you mind driving around the block and getting us some pizza and coffee? You're the only one of us hidden directly from view of the house," Jenkins explained.

Frank smiled, so it wasn't just 'cause he was the rookie. "Yeah sure, but how do I deliver?"

"I'll think of something," Jenkins sighed.

"Hey, can I have pepperoni?"

"Shut up Renny!"

* * *


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

A tense silence filled the ice box as Maggie and Andrew abandoned Joe and Missy and went to stand behind the cluster of people. Everyone seemed to be sizing everyone up and Joe couldn't help but think that this was high noon at the OK corral. He risked a look at Missy who was carefully studying each face of the people before them as if she could see through the masks. There was a nagging inside him that warned him of danger, and though he couldn't explain how he knew, but he knew that the Grave Digger was there. Now, what he could do about it was a mystery. Even if there was a huge neon sign that pointed directly to the guy, there wasn't any evidence to tie him to the killings. But the fact that the police were all just a safety word away gave Joe some comfort.

But only some.

Missy didn't seem to notice Joe's fears. She was too caught up in the flood of energy and emotion in the room. She could pick up on excitement, hostility, nervousness, eagerness, and…something darker. Something that couldn't really be explained…it was like lust, joy, rage, need, and anticipation rolled into one and she was sure that this was the killer. All she had to do now was figure out which one of the seven the emotions coming from.

"You wanted to ask us about the Grave Digger," said the funeral director's costume stated, and there was something familiar about his voice that Joe couldn't place exactly.

"Yeah, we know that you're…" Joe paused here, trying to choose his words carefully, "Your order favor the grave yards. We need to know if there is any who have been threatened or have seen something or..."

"Or could have done the murders?" this from one of the jester.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Joe said, looking her in the eye.

"And are we suspected because we are freaks to your kind?" the jester hissed out, meeting Joe's challenge.

Joe inwardly sighed, 'Frank, this is so not my thing. Damn it why did I have to agree to this, I'm so going to blow it….'

"We're not calling you freaks. Have we called them freaks Joe?" Missy said while Joe was thinking.

"No," Joe answered, glad that Missy had jumped in.

"We don't think that because you are…zombies…you go around killing every living thing you meet. We think that because the Grave Digger is killing everything he meets he would come to you to hide him because you are zombies," Missy continued, making it a point to look at each member. She was hoping that she could shake the killer up enough to make him act.

"Well said," said the funeral director, "You'll forgive my jester, she is a bit rash."

"It's fine," Joe said, "there's a madman going around stealing corpses and killing people, i don't really care what she's pissed off at as long as we can stop this guy."

The seven exchanged meaningful glances before the director looked at one of the robe clad members and nodded his head. The member stood and moved into Missy and Joe's direct line of vision, blocking the thrown from view.

"I represent the street members of our order. The ones who stay in the grave yards at night. I'll tell you what they've told me."

Missy and Joe both let out breathes they hadn't known they were holding and said, "Thank you."

"Several of our Order have seen a man walking the grave yards of Old Wales, St. Josephs, Holy Cross, St. Mathew's, and St. Paul's. Each time they thought they recognized one of ours and each time was scared away. These meetings all happened a few days before a robbery."

Joe and Missy exchanged looks of hopefulness, there were witness? "Can any of them describe the man they saw?" Missy asked, trying to keep her voice toneless.

"A tall man in all black. A zombie keeper mask covered his face and a hood hide his head."

"What's a zombie keeper?" Joe asked, as Missy continued to scan the seven as best she could.

"Much like your pastors or clergy except they preach from the book of the dead."

"Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything about the grave robberies?" Joe asked, nearly pleading.

"Like what?" the robed figure asked, tilting their head slightly.

"You said that the man they saw was a zombie keeper, that he's like a pastor or something…is that anything like Voodoo?"

"We do not practice Voodoo," was the reply.

"But you have rituals?" Joe pressed on.

"Yes."

"These rituals have anything to do with graves? Like is there a grave side ceremony?"

"There are several. One for burial, one for rising, and one for keeping the dead, dead."

Joe felt the familiar rush when he was on the verge of a clue, "Could you describe them?"

The robed figure looked behind them for conformation before turning back to answer. Just as they were about to speak one of the others stood and then three things happened at once;

First, the figure tossed several small smoke bombs into the room spraying white smoke everywhere and nearly blinding everyone. Second, Maggie screamed as the same figure grabbed hold of her and began to drag her out of the room. Third, Joe called out "Shit!"

* * *

Frank was about to head off to the pizza place when all hell broke lose.

"That was the safe word, get your asses in gear!" barked Jenkins over the radio, "Renny, Smith, Martin, and Booker get in there now! Davis, Marks, Green you're back up! Somebody get VICE in here! Hardy stay put!"

Frank cursed as he climbed out of the van and moved to get a clearer view of what was happening. He wanted desperately to know what was going on inside the house, but he knew he couldn't risk asking. So he was stuck with the sickening knowledge that either Joe or Missy had said the safe word which meant something had gone really, really wrong and now the police had to go in and drag them out.

"Please let them be ok…please don't let it be Joe…please let them be ok…" Frank kept repeating over and over again as he watched police flood in and panicked kids run out, hoping that one of them would be Joe.

* * *

In the ice box all hell had broken lose and it was impossible to distinguish anything. Missy could feel bodies slamming into her as they desperately tried to orient themselves and escape the smoke. She could hear Joe a ways in front of her calling her name between coughing fits and she could hear Maggie screaming somewhere off in the distances….

_There was a blond haired boy to faraway to see clearly…_

"Get…Maggie…!" she called out to Joe, the smoke chocking her own voice.

"Can't …see!" was the forced reply.

"Follow…voice!" was the last thing Missy said before she stumbled after the screaming girl and her attacker.

…_The prize of some dark and twisted game…_

Maggie stumbled along every now and then calling out to Joe to make sure he was still there. He was, and he was getting closer to her, but he was still behind her. Another scream tore through the smoke and Missy got a glimpse of light just a few feet away from her. She knew that light had a tendency to bounce off smoke, but the blast of fresh air reassured her and she headed for the light. She could sense Joe following her same instinct and no longer worried about calling out to him.

…_She beckoned…_

Missy hit the hallway and took a moment to catch her breath. She was exhausted by the smoke and her body was ready to collapses. But another scream tore her out of her haze and she took a look around her. The hallway was long, poorly lit and straight. There would be no hiding, no escape route. When she caught up with Maggie and her attacker, she'd only have one shot at the guy.

"Oh what fun…" she mumbled to herself as she headed off at a run.

Vaguely she could hear Joe calling out behind her, but she didn't have time to respond; Maggie's latest scream had just gone suddenly silent.

…_The prize of some dark and twisted game. She beckoned. The Blond ran scared…The red head slipped away. The figures fell into shadow…_

Joe stopped to breath and watched as Missy moved on down the hall. He could hear Maggie screaming and as much as he wanted to save her, he couldn't force his body to take another step until he got air. Suddenly though Maggie stopped screaming and all thought of rest was forgotten. Joe took off at a sprint, calling out to Missy as he did, hoping that she would wait for him to catch up before she reached the killer.

"_I saw you there, did you see me?_

_This game we play, it just isn't fair._

_What do I have to do,_

_To get the chance to meet you?"_


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Frank heard screaming. Even over all the hustle and noise coming from the impromptu raid on the morgue. He heard screaming.

It was faint and sounded muffled, but it was screaming. Looking around Frank could tell that the police had their hands full. VICE was on their way, but by the sound of the sirens they were a ways away. So Frank forgot Jenkins' orders of staying put and headed for where he thought the screams were coming from.

It was an alleyway behind the morgue. Dark, wet, isolated, and just plan creepy. It was almost too narrow for Frank to walk in and defiantly too narrow for him to be able to defend himself if the need arouse. He was hoping that the need wouldn't.

Another scream reached his ears and it sounded as if it came from under him. Looking around Frank found a side/cellar door and headed for that. Another scream that was cut short reached his ears much more clearly as he reached the door and he had no time to react as the door was tossed open from the other side.

The sight that was reviled to him made Frank's blood run cold. The man with the bandages was standing before him dragging the lifeless body of Maggie behind him. One look told Frank that her neck had been broken and a stab of guilt tore through him nearly doubling him over.

'I promised to protect her…'

But Frank didn't have long to guilt trip before the man tossed Maggie aside like trash and made a grab for him. The youth dodged him skillfully, but because of the alley's size, his body was slammed into the back wall. The blow was enough to still him for a moment and by the time he was recovered enough to move, it was too late.

The man grabbed hold of his hair and used it to toss Frank to the ground. In no time he was on top of him, pinning him face down in the alley's grime. Frank struggled fiercely, but all in vain. Two quick blows to his head rendered him unconscious and left him helpless in the hands of a killer.

* * *

Missy broke onto the alleyway breathless. The first sight that greeted her was Maggie's still body and it stilled her heart. But movement caught her eye and she looked up to see the man she had been chasing on top of Frank. He was staring at her, his eyes burning into her and some how she knew he was smiling wickedly under his mask.

"It's over. Let him go," Missy said as she stepped over Maggie towards him.

"I see you, do you see me?" the man hissed as he stood up slowly.

"I see you," Miss said, and the man shook his head.

"This game we play, just isn't fair…I see you, but you can't see me."

"Yes I can. You're right in front of me," Missy said as she glanced down at Frank. She could tell he was breathing, but he wasn't moving and that bothered her.

"I wish for a scream, Missy Woo. But not from you…"

Before Missy could react the man had punched her in the jaw and tossed her back into the hallway she'd just exited. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the man taking Frank's still form and disappearing into the shadows.

_...The red head slipped away. The figures fell into shadow..._


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Joe Hardy sat in his own world, a hunted look in his eyes.

Outside, the sun was shining and people were starting to live their lives. He could see it through the window of the squad room. He'd been sitting there since getting back from the 'Rave.' Since finding Missy staggering to her feet, nearly sobbing with frustration, anger, and fear. Since finding Maggie's corpses. Since hearing Missy whisper;

"He took Frank…the Grave Digger took Frank…."

He had just sat the staring, letting the police sort out everything, the night playing over and over again in his mind.

"Joe," a soft whisper of a voice said from behind him and somewhere in the drudges of his mind Joe recognized it.

He turned slowly, feeling too old for his age. "Nancy?" he asked as if she was a mouse that could be scared away.

"Hey, I brought you some coffee," she said as she walked over to him, a mug in hand.

Joe took it, but made no move to drink, "What are you doing here?"

"I finished my case and decided to come out to help. Thought Missy could use some girl time with you two," Nancy teased lightly, but it had no affect on Joe.

"Have you heard?" Joe asked quietly, so unlike his normal self.

Nancy nodded grimly, "He has Frank."

"Yeah," Joe said, "Do you know what he's going to do to Frank? Have you read the files?"

Nancy had, "He's not going to do anything to Frank because we're going to get to Frank before he has the time."

Joe nodded but pushed on, "What I don't understand is why did he take Frank? The body he took was female."

"Not exactly," Came another voice from behind the pair.

The two detectives turned to see Missy standing there. The detective looked tired and worn. She had scrubbed the makeup off, as Joe had, but still wore the same clothes from last night. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail reviling a nasty bruise forming on her brow.

"Hey, how you doing?" Joe asked, moving over a bit to allow Missy to sit.

"I'll be fine, doctor gave me a clean bill of health. I'm glad you're here Nan," Missy said taking the offer seat.

"I'm glad I'm here too," Nancy said, "So what's the news?"

"Yeah, what do you mean by 'not exactly'?" Joe asked.

"Mary Wielder was born a girl but she died male. She died from complications after a sex change operation. Technically she died male."

Joe let out a string of curses and ran a hand through his hair irritated. "So what, you mean that for some reason he's deceived that Frank is like this corpses? Why? And what's he going to do? What does he want from Frank?"

"I don't know. I don't have the answers yet Joe. All I know is that time is wasting and we have a lot that needs to be done," Missy answered after a moment.

"Come on Joe, you know better then any of us that sitting around feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to bring Frank home," Nancy said sternly.

"Easy for you to say. Do you have any idea what he's going to do to Frank?!" Joe snapped, his famous temper boiling.

"He's going to torture him. He's going to dissect him so that he matches Mary, and he's probably going to rape him or assault him in some way. Then there's the mental torture, Frank's afraid to be buried. He'll start there and run with it," Missy answered in a monotone voice causing the room to fill with a tense and unnerved silence.

"We can't let that happen Joe," Missy finally said after several minuets, "And right now time is wasting."

"What do we do?" Joe said, the same old determination in his voice.

…line…

A/N: Alright, so you all know I'm now changing the rating to mature.


	31. Chapter 30

I have a brand new doll…two new dolls….

They have given me new dolls….

Why have I ever feared Them? Don't They always take care of me? Why have I ever doubted Them?

Here he is, my brand new doll. She tried to mold herself into something new, but They weren't fooled! No, They saw right through it, They knew! There's no fooling Them! They are all knowing, all seeing, all powerful.

They are the best defense! The world will thank me soon for following Them and what They told me! The world will know that those things are walking with us and when the world learns that They have been saving it through me, then the world will worship. Then the world will believe. The world will see….

The Devil has sent his whores to walk among us, to live and breathe and talk and exist. They stalk those pathetic fools who clam to believe. They become their shadows and suck away their soul. Those fools are so blind! So stupid!

But for now I'm safe. For now I have a new game to play and a new doll to play with….

line

He could hear the sound of water dripping, like a leaky faucet, off in the distance. He could hear mice or rats scurrying in the shadows of the room. Over to his left, a boiler was groaning as it labored away; it's heat was oppressive, almost as oppressive as the chains that held him immobile. Almost as oppressive as the dark that threatened to smother him, and the stench that invaded and over whelmed his senses, sticking in his throat.

_Hot. Heavy. Thin…_

He couldn't breath…

_It was dark, unnaturally dark…_

He couldn't see.

_He tried to sit up, but he couldn't…_

He couldn't move.

_Hot. Heavy. Thin. _

He couldn't scream…

_That was…his hell._

A/n I know, it's short and after such along time. I'm sorry, I'm just kind of stuck on this one. So if you have any suggestions let me know! Other wise you're going to have to wait another week for me to think up something.


	32. Chapter 31

(A/N) Hey, so very sorry that it took me so long to update this story. Here's a small recap for everyone.

Frank and Joe have come down to Maryland to help Nancy's friend Missy find a serial killer. Missy is a empath detective and is working with the MD police to find Grave Digger, a serial killer who digs up graves then kills the occupant's look a like. After arriving in MD, Frank, Joe, and Missy are called to look at a grave robbery. There, Frank finds Maggie, a street kid, who witnessed the Grave Digger in action. She sends them on a trail that leads through Father Marks, Kyle and back to her and a secret under ground sub culture. Maggie agrees to help the three get into an under ground club that may hold clues to the identity of Grave Digger. However, during this meeting something goes wrong and Maggie ends up dead and Frank ends up in the hands of the Grave Digger. Nancy comes to MD to help and now the race is on to find Frank.

The major characters are:

Frank, Joe, Nancy (who we all know and love.)

Missy Woo, Nancy's friend and the empath detective.

Grave Digger, the serial killer who talks to Them.

Leroy Jenkins, the cases lead detective for the police.

Father Marks, the priest of a church where the Grave Digger is known to 'hunt'.

Kyle, a suspicious homeless man.

I think that's most of it. If you're confused please skim the chapters or ask me. Thanks.

Line

**Chapter 31**

line

_Hot. Heavy. Thin…_

_A brown haired boy in shadow._

_It was dark, unnaturally dark…_

_He tried to sit up, but he couldn't…_

_Hot. Heavy. Thin. _

"_Tears will be spelt and Blood will be cried… woo to you two…."_

line

Missy gasped as she came back to herself, and nearly fell off the cot.

"I'm sorry Missy, I didn't mean to startle you…" Nancy said, looking over her friend.

"No…No…it wasn't you Nan…. I think…Frank. I think I picked up Frank," Missy explained as she tried to calm herself.

Nancy didn't need an explanation, she knew about her friend's sixth sense from first hand experience. She had no doubt that Missy had picked up on Frank, and only feared what could cause the normally composed and collected detective to look so frightened.

"So what's up?" Missy finally asked after a few seconds.

"We found video footage. It doesn't give us a suspect, but it does give us a possible location. And some patrol officers are bringing in Kyle. Frank identified him going into the club last night."

"So we have something to go on? That's good…that's really good," Missy said, though her mind was clearly elsewhere and Nancy got the feeling that she was seeing something Nancy could never see.

"What's going on Missy?"

"I think Frank's running out of time.

line

Frank groaned as he woke. He had been dozing for the last half hour or so, as the heat started to get to him. Now as he came to, he was again struck by how it could be so cold outside and so hot in here. There was a sound to his left and Frank suddenly remembered why he had woken.

Straining his neck as best he could, Frank strained to see who was walking his way. They were soft and distant at first, but as they grew closer Frank identified them as a male's footsteps. He could also see the traces of lantern light and a shadow. As the shadow grew closer, he grew tenser. He didn't know what or whom he was expecting, but what appeared before him was not it. "You?" Frank hissed, shock and confusion on his face.

"Shhhh…" the figure soothed, putting a finger to Frank's lips. "We have so much work to do."

Frank pulled his head away, or at least he tried. But the figure grabbed him by the chin and forced his head to remain still. "Stay silent," the figure warned, his fingers brushing Frank's jaw-line, then he removed his hand from Frank's face and secured a leather strap across Frank's forehead. Frank tried to shake lose of the strap, but it was useless and only earned him a slap across his face.

"Lay still," the figure ordered as he turned his back on his hostage and disappeared into the shadows. Frank had no choice but to obey, so he lay there and waited. He waited for what felt like hours but was really only minuets before the figure returned wheeling a cart covered by a cloth. The figure parked the cart right next to Frank's head before carefully removing the cloth.

Frank couldn't see what was on the cart, but in a way he was grateful. He knew nothing good was going to come of it and that alone made his heart skip a beat. The figure said nothing, just ran a hand through Frank's hair in a soothing gesture. It did nothing to ease Frank's tension and he tried to move away.

"Shhhh… no need to fear, I'm just going to put you back where you belong. Nothing to fear at all," the figure said as he went to the cart and retrieved a pair of scissors. He showed them to Frank, "See, nothing to fear."

"Don't," Frank pleaded, though his throat was dry and he had no idea what the figure intended to do.

"Shhhh…." was again, the only reply. The figure then set to work, removing Frank's clothes. Though Frank protested through out but he was soon left in only his briefs. All through out the figure mumbled on about how he shouldn't be afraid, and he would be going home soon.

Frank ignored it all and just tried to focus on staying calm and seeing if he can talk his way out of this. But the more he talked, the more irritated the figure became and by the time he had stripped Frank to his briefs he had, had enough. He viscously struck Frank across the face, breaking his nose and silencing the youth. "Silence!" he ordered.

This time Frank obeyed, forcing himself to remain calm and silent as he felt the blood start to drip down his throat. But all too quickly there was no way to conceal the gagging as he began to choke on his own blood. The figure, who had been busy searching on the cart for something, mumbled a curse under his breath when he heard Frank's struggles.

With out thinking, he quickly freed Frank from the straps, pulled him up off the table, and tossed him to the floor on his hands and knees. Frank reacted on instinct, as soon as he his the floor he was up again and running towards the exit. He heard the figure call out and give chase, but he blocked him out and focused on his goal, which by no means was an easy one.

Though he had started off strong Frank knew he had, little chance of escape. He had a concussion and broken nose that sent throbbing pain through out his head, creating a pressure feeling behind his eye. And he could feel the pressure building in his head with each step. There was also no light to see by, and that made Frank stumble along the wall, desperately trying to stay ahead of his attacker.

In the end though, it was no use. Halfway down the hall, Frank's abductor caught up to and tackled him. Frank struggled and lashed out with all that he had, but the figure quickly over powered him and was able to restrain him until he gave up.

"You should not have done that. You should not have dared. They are very angry with you now. You will have to be punished…" the figure kept mumbling as he dragged Frank back to the table and past it to where a pair of cuffs hung from a meat hook in a corner. He attached the cuffs to Frank then hoisted the hook until Frank was left standing on his tiptoes.

"Who are They? What do They want?" Frank asked, a trace of panic in his voice, trying to keep him in view.

"They are the all powerful. They are the all mighty. They are the masters. They determine who live and die and They do not like it when They are defied. They are angry," the figure ranted madly as he disappeared into the shadows, searching for something. He reemerged, still ranting, a few moments later carrying a leather strap. "You have angered Them. You have made Them very, very unhappy. And They will punish you," he finished violently lashing out at Frank with the strap.

line

"Kyle Martin, Major in the Marines. Honorably discharged after Dessert Storm due to medical reasons. Signal, no children. Current occupation is a freelance bodyguard, detective, and bounty hunter. Now, can you explain to me what a man like you is doing at a rave?" Jenkins asked, sitting across from the man in question.

Kyle Martin looked much the same as the last time Missy had seen him. He was still very tall, with neat red hair. The scar was still in the same place and his cloths were still rumpled but clean. The only difference now was the aged look in his eyes, and the deepened lines in his face.

Missy was sitting next to Jenkins in the interrogation room, a fly on the wall so that she could 'read' the suspect. The hope was that she could pick up on things Jenkins couldn't. Currently she felt that something was off about the man, something was missing from him now. She had no idea what it could be, but she intended to find out.

"It doesn't matter what I was doing there now," Kyle answered, yet there was no cockiness or aggression in his voice. In fact it was void of almost all emotion.

"Why don't you let us determine what matters? Were you working?" Jenkins pressed, coolly.

Kyle sighed and ran a hand over his face, "Sort of."

"Sort of? Care to explain that Mr. Martin?"

"I was looking for my niece. She'd run away several times a month and I was trying to find out why and where she went. See if I could get her to go home and stay there."

"She'd? A in she would? You found her?" Missy asked, something in her mind clicking into place.

"I found her," Kyle said, and there was a sad bitterness in his voice.

"You don't sound to happy about it," Jenkins stated.

"Yeah, well, maybe it's because she's dead. My niece was…"

"Maggie Ryan. You're sister's daughter?" Missy asked.

"The only child she had left. He begged me to find her and get her to come home for good before something like this happened…."

Missy bit her lip and fought for control of her emotions. Maggie had trusted her to protect her and now she sat in front of her uncle, accusing him of her murder. It was a little too much for her at the moment, luckily though, the two men were ignoring her.

"It's not your fault that…" Jenkins began.

"That you failed to protect my niece? That you let her lead you into a cult and left her to be murdered? Don't lie about it either, I saw you all there with her," Kyle snapped, anger clearly ringing in his words and showing on his face.

"You're right Mr. Martin. It was our fault. We failed your niece. But we tried. We tried are hardest to save her. We just couldn't reach her in time. I'm sorry. I am truly and deeply sorry," Missy said softly, meeting the man's angry eyes with her own grieved ones. "But Mr. Martin, there is nothing I can do to bring her back. There is nothing that you can do to bring her back. But what you can do is help us catch the monster who killed her and save the man who tried to save her."

"Save who?" Kyle asked, most of him calm reclaimed.

"Frank Hardy tried to save your niece and as a result, he was taken by the Grave Digger. He's being held prisoner right now and probably being tortured. He's running out of time. You can't save Maggie, but you can save Frank. And by saving Frank you can nail that bastards ass to the wall."

"How can I help with anything?" Kyle asked, clearly taking Missy's words to heart.

"The Grave Digger was at the rave. He was member of the same circle that your niece was. Chances are she knew him with out knowing it. Since you were following her, you probably know him too. We need you to tell us everything that you knew about your niece and what she was doing. Can you do that? Will you do that?"

"Yes."

line

That's it for now. Expect an update in about two weeks. Please review! Thanks.


	33. Chapter 32

A/N: So one crashed computer, one vacation, and one stressful week later, here's Chapter 32. Enjoy! Sorry about the delay.

Chapter 32

Frank moaned at the strap came down on him for what felt like the thousandth time. His voice was gone; he had screamed it away. So was his strength and he slumped in the cuffs. His wrists were bloody and raw and his back, thighs, and stomach were covered in welts, bruises, and cuts. He was barely able to stay conscious and had lost all sense of time. There seemed no end in sight for his torment and just as he was about to break, the figure struck him one final time.

The relief spread through Frank like water through a gutter. His muscles were cramped, his skin was burning and his head throbbed, but it was over for now. And maybe now, beaten as he was, his captor would let him down. Or not.

Frank watched, disheartened, as the figure disappeared into the shadows, the sounds of hit footfalls getting softer and softer. Leaving Frank hanging from the ceiling, nearly unable to support himself. 'No. No. No. No. Please. No. No. Dear God, please no….' his mind screamed over and over again, but his throat was too raw to vocalize. And as time passed by, Frank felt another part of his hope die.

line

Joe was staring at a whitewash-board covered with details and clues and victim pictures. There were lines drawn from one thing to another and information scattered about. Everything in front of him was organized chaos and completely unimportant. The only thing that mattered was the fact that Frank's picture was on the board and the arrow drawn to his picture connected him with Mary Wielder, AKA Gregory. He had to admit that Gregory and Frank did look similar. Gregory had been a bit more butch then Frank, and a little shorter. But they both had the same brown hair, the same eyes, and that same 'I know the secret of life,' smile. And that's what scared him.

According to the MO and the profile that the police and Missy had come up with, the man was taking people who looked like the dead. He was then mutilating his victims to match the corpses and it was all part of some ritual. Except that he broke ritual for one, and that's what it all came back to. He broke ritual.

There were only two reasons why, he was hurried or he was dissolving. The hurried explanation was the most popular considering he had only broken ritual once. But Joe had another idea. He just had to make it work.

_"Theory's are only as good as the evidence. If you have all the pieces and you can't see the picture, then you have the wrong idea. Take a closer look, it's all there. You just have to see it."_ Isn't that what Frank was always telling him when they worked on cases?

"All right Frank, let's take a closer look…" Joe said as he opened a notepad and picked up a pencil. "First piece, a body goes missing from a grave yard…."

line

A whimper escaped Frank as he tried to shift his weight in order to relieve the strain on his shoulders. He had been left hanging in the corner of this dungeon for some time now and was beginning to fear he would be left to die here. Though in his mind he knew that it wouldn't be that easy. After all, he knew this case almost inside and out. He knew what was in store for him and it made his core cold.

"Stop it Hardy," Frank scolded himself. "Joe's out there, he'll find you. Have faith in him. He's found you every time before…."

But left alone in that hell, the what ifs began to eat away at him. And the maybes began to berate him. Slowly his mind started to question if Joe could find him in time. If Joe could put it all together in time, or if he was going to die here, waiting to be saved.

"Don't think like that Hardy…" Frank told himself softly, "Joe's coming. He'll find you…."

"They never do. No one ever finds you," said the figure, and Frank startled. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard him coming.

"What do you want…?" Frank asked him, his voice shaking. "What is it that I did?"

The figure moved towards him and gently cuffed his face in his hand, forcing Frank to look at him. "It is not what _I _want. It is what _They _want. And what you are accused of is not dieing."

That said, his grip on Frank's face tightened and he forced Frank' head to hold still. From his back pocket he pulled out a knife and held it in front of Frank's face. "Tears will be shed and blood will be cried. Woo to you," he said before he began to slice the skin just below Frank's eyes.

line

Could it really have been that simple? Honestly. How could they have all been so damn blind? It was laid out there in black and white, every thing that they needed.

It had taken him three hours to work it out. To list and organize all the pieces. He had had to change his 'idea' several times over, but finally he had found the picture. Three hours, to find something so simple. Three hours of Frank's life gone…

"How the hell did we miss this?" Joe asked angrily staring at the paper before him.

"How the hell could we miss what Joe?" Nancy asked from behind him. In her hand she held a cup of coffee and offered it to the younger man.

"The connection. I know what links them all. They were all zombies," Joe said.

"Zombies?" Nancy asked, a smirk on her face.

"According to the information we got from Kyle, all of the live victims were in that cult. All of the live victims had some kind of connection to the inner circle, and all of them are dead. Except for a fluke, that's the only odd one out."

"So how do you explain that one Hardy?"

"Dissolving. I think our killer started to dissolve."

"But once a killer dissolves, or starts to, then they keep going. They don't stop Joe."

"Not unless someone is pulling their strings. If some outside force is pushing them back into place."

"Wait, so you think there are two killers?" Nancy asked, concern in her question.

"No. Not exactly. But I think there are two personalities. One driving the need, the other being the vehicle."

"Damn… you better let the others know."

"Oh, it gets better. I know where we should start looking as well."

"Where?"

"The churches. All the zombies hang out with a six block of anyone of the churches that have had grave robberies. The grave robber has to be someone who belongs there because the police have been staking out the graveyards. It's the most obvious places. From there, we work our way inward. Toward the club."

"Killers don't normally start killing in their home filed Joe. Which means…."

"There're more bodies that we haven't found."


	34. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

"If that's the case, then where're the other bodies? Or where's the other grave robberies?" Jenkins asked. He, Missy, Nancy and Joe were all gathered in the task force room where Joe had been working out his theory. He had just told the others what he had pieced together.

"I have an idea about that," Nancy offered, "What if he was more sane then? More then he is now. He could have chosen graveyards that we closed or abandoned. Maybe popper graveyards? He could have even re-filled the graves."

"But the ritual, it's always there. That's how we traced him," Missy said.

"Well, if he was more rational, and that's assuming he was, he would have cleaned up after himself. Avoiding detection. Joe's theory does suggest that he's on a downward spiral. If that's the case, then he could have started with the idea he didn't want to be discovered," Nancy offered.

"Or he may have even felt guilty about what he was doing," Joe added, "My theory, that he had two personalities, the moral one of them at the start of this may have had more control. Been more dominate. He could have felt guilty about what he was doing and want to conceal it. He could have cleaned up after himself and then hid the bodies. But now, his personalities are shifting. The violent one is taking hold. He's getting reckless, more violent…more driven."

"What are you saying?" Jenkins asked.

Joe took a deep breath and shifted his weight, "Frank and I were working on an possible motive for the killings, before he…. We, um, Frank thought that they were mission based. That the killer was driven by some thing based on the graves that he robbed and the fact that the victims were look a likes in some way. He also thought that since most of the crimes were committed on the Old Wales cemetery grounds, that someone there was responsible. But he didn't rule out the other churches."

Leroy sighed and leaned tiredly on the table in front of him. He thought deeply for a moment before saying, "It all sounds solid," he looked up at Missy, "What do you think?"

"It's eight in the evening. Frank was taken about eleven last night…Frank's been missing for about twenty-one hours now. We know that he kills his victims anywhere between four and five days before he dumps them. We know what he does to them. But we don't know why. Joe has a theory, a good one, and that's what we need right now. I say that Nancy looks up other grave robberies, ones that go back several years. Leroy you and I should do back to the churches first thing tomorrow. And Joe, you look over the victims, both the bodies and the living. Find out why them. What made him chose them. The why will tell us the who, and the who will tell us the where. We have three days to find Frank," Missy said.

Nobody argued.

* * *

"Be not afraid, 'tis I, 'tis I," sang the figure above Frank as he lay still on top a bed made of rags.

The stench of the rags made his head spin and his body gag. He had been lowered down from his suspension and rebound. He was then taken to a cage that was off in a corner. There he was placed on the rag bed and a color was fastened around his neck. Shackles were placed around his ankles and his hands were left bound before him. He had then been left there for a long thirty minuets.

"Though the storm rages wild; In thy sore need I'm passing by, off'ring to help thee, hear thy cry— Be of good cheer, My child," The figure sang on as he made his return. Frank couldn't see him, his eyes had swollen to mere slits since he had sliced the skin below them. The cuts had started just below his tear dux and ended at his chin, tracing the path of tears. They burned like hell when he had cried in pain.

"Be not afraid, 'tis I, be not afraid, 'tis I; Though wild winds blowing, my bark o'erflowing, God rules in earth and sky: "Be not afraid, 'tis I, be not afraid, 'tis I."

The figure entered the cage, Frank could sense him there. Through his slit eyes he could see him standing there, a bucket in one hand and several towels in the other. He set the bucket down and placed the towels on the rim. From his pocket he pulled out a knife and then approached Frank.

"The storm can't harm my trusting soul, for Jesus walks the waves that roll; His voice I hear, which calms my fear," he sang on as he cut away Frank's boxer's, leaving him naked. Frank in haled sharply as the cold air touched his skin, and from fear.

"Please don't…" he whispered, though his voice was thick and scratchy.

"'Tis I, be not afraid.   Be not afraid, 'mid pressing foes, Jesus is watching near," was the reply as the figure gently put a finger over Frank's lips telling him to be quite.

"He, all thy deepest sorrow knows, walked every step thy pathway goes; Trust Him, then; do not fear," continued the song as the figure returned to the bucket and dunked a towel into it. It came up wet and Frank prepared himself for the coming of cold water. Instead there was warm water as the figure began to bath him.   

"Be not afraid, He knows thy heart,  and He doth care for thee," he kept singing as he cleaned the wounds on Frank's back and legs, before he focused on his face.

"Of all thy grief He shares a part, stands by thy side, He'll not depart, If thou wilt faithful be," he sang softly, very lightly cleaning the tear path cuts. Though his touch was gentle, it still hurt, and Frank couldn't help a few whimpers.   

"Be not afraid, O helpless one,  trust in His boundless grace; Say from the heart, "Thy will be done, Finish the work Thou hast begun, bring me to see Thy face"," he ended as he laid Frank down, who was now shivering as the water cooled.

The figure didn't notice. He picked up the soiled rags and left Frank shivering, in the dark, still singing;

"Be not afraid, 'tis I,  be not afraid, 'tis I.*"

* * *

Nancy sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. "This sucks," she said to no one. She was alone in the police station's records room, going through the databases trying to find what Missy had asked her to. Proof of Joe's theory.

"First Missy is targeted by this freak and so I have to go and send Frank and Joe down here," Nancy ranted as she searched through record after record. "Cause who else you going to call when shit's going to hell in a hand basket? The Hardy Brother's that's who! And of course Frank, who is probably the only one of us who can get inside this dick's head, gets kidnapped…and if he dies it'll be my fault…"

"It's not your fault Nan," came Joe's tired voice from behind him. Nancy spun around, startled.

"Jesus, Joe!"

He smiled weakly, though it did nothing for the shadows in his eye, "Sorry."

Nancy exhaled and ran a hand through her hair, "It nothing, I'm just….tired."

"Nancy, it's not your fault," Joe repeated, studying his friend.

"Yeah, well, it sure feels like it," she said, leaning back.

"Tell me about it"

"Have you called your parent's yet?"

Joe shook his head, "They're somewhere in the Pacific on a ship. Besides, there' nothing to tell them. We don't know anything."

"Still, Joe…"

But Joe cut her off, "We don't know anything. He's gone. Some freak serial killer has him. That's all we've got. We don't know if he's a live, where he is, if were even going to find him. Hell, if we're even going to get there in time!"

Joe's voice had risen as he made each statement, showing Nancy how upset he was. She stood and moved towards him, gripping him by his shoulders and forcing him to meet her eyes.

"Joe, we will find him," she said calmly. "We will find him in time."

"In time for what?" Joe asked, the first signs of tears in his voice. He broke away from her and started pacing. "I know exactly what's going to happen to him! The longer we take trying to find him, the more time that bastard has to do it! I've read those case files so many times… everything that's been done to them. I can't help but see Frank like that…I can't help but picture him doing it to Frank and I think…God! I think that if we take much longer it'd be better to let him die."

"Joe!" Nancy said, surprised.

"No, I mean it. Frank is the strongest person I know. He can and has survived hell. But this, this isn't hell. There isn't a word for this. And if it breaks him…if Frank can't survive this…I can't see him broken. I can't see him scared for the rest of his life or a shell of himself. Not when I've lived with him for so long, and seen him full of life and healthy. But if he dies Nancy…God if he dies I know I won't survive it. I know that…that…" by now Joe's emotions had taken over and he couldn't stop the sobs from escaping as he sank to the floor, burring his face in his hands.

Nancy was there in a moment, holding him. At first saying nothing, for she didn't know yet what to say. Several minuets passed before Joe was able to reclaim control, but he didn't pull away from the comfort that Nancy provided. Which was fine with her, because Nancy wanted him to hear what she had to say.

"We have two days Joe. Two day before he starts the worst of it. Two days where Frank can survive. I've read the case files too. I know what's going to happen after those two-day so we better stop sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves and get to work. Frank can only survive if we find him in time."

* * *

Missy was trying to sleep. Her head pounded and her body ached from the day's past abuse and the emotional strain placed around her. She tried to distance herself from everything and everyone, tried to pretend that the current victim wasn't a friend of a friend who was becoming her friend. That his brother didn't have inside knowledge about what was going to happen to him. That the horror of it wasn't real.

She tried to stop thinking all together, but it was a hard thing. And as her eyes closed her vision began to scan the horizon…..

_A brown haired boy in shadow._

_It was dark, unnaturally dark…_

"_Tears have been spelt and Blood has been cried…."_

_A brown haired boy will die…_

_Cold. So cold. So very, very cold._

_Dark and bared. Fear all around._

_They are all around. It, It became They._

_He became It, It became They._

_They are all around…._

_They are angry, They, want him…_

_His pain, his death…_

_They tell me I'm safe. They are excited, because it's soon._

_There was a boy in growing shadow, with brown hair who was scared._

_He was desperate, scared, something was terrifying him…_

_Singing, song, "Be not afraid…" _

_The voice was gone._

…_The prize of some dark and twisted game._

"_Tears have been spilt, Blood has been cried. All for an eye for an eye._

_Oh woo to you Missy Woo, what do I have to do to meet you?"_

_A brown haired boy in chains…_

_The prize at the end of the game._

Missy woke, gasping for breath. The visions she had seen were fading now and the dream was over, but there was no chance for sleep now. Climbing out of the bunk she headed for where Nancy was. There was no way she was just going to lie there and do nothing.


	35. Chapter 34

**(A/N)** Soooo… It's been forever since I updated any Hardy fanfic and that's mostly cause life sucks. But in the case of this fic, it was because this chapter is…well…. disgusting. I mean, it's really gross and maybe a little graphic? It's kind so bad that I didn't want to write it… So, please be warned but enjoy it nonetheless and I promise it won't take me years to update again. I'm back on track.

Tye

**Chapter 34**

"Hey…" Missy said softly from the doorway. Joe and Nancy were working together in the police station's research room. Joe with millions upon millions of case files and reports scattered around him and Nancy digging through record after record, both on the computer and in hand.

The two of them had about three dozen coffee cups, energy drinks and soda cans between them. Each had circles under their eyes, and looked frazzled. There was no doubt in Missy's mind that they had been working for hours straight with out a break.

"Hey," Nancy greeted, tired but warmly. Joe looked up gave her a quick smile and nod, then went back to the file in his hand.

"You look like hell," Nancy commented as Missy took a seat in front of Joe.

"Is that the pot calling the kettle black?" Missy responded with a tired smile.

"Another dream?" Nancy asked, returning the smile.

"I think Joe's right, about the personalities. In his letters he refers to a them, and in my dreams I see him become it, become them," Missy answered.

"As in the two personalities merge and becomes a completely different one?" Joe asked.

Missy nodded, "Which means we have three personalities to profile."

"Or just the victims. If we focus on one thing at a time maybe we can put them all together?" Joe said.

"So what do the two of you have?" Missy asked.

"Well, Joe was right again. Going back a year, there were graves robbed and body mutilations. They happened in New Wales Township, which is a province of the city but not under city jurisdiction?" Nancy began.

"Yeah, when you have all these old cities and townships it's hard to wrap them all under one banner. The township follows our Mayor but has it's own police force," Missy confirmed.

"Well that's where it started, except that the local police didn't alert anyone because they thought it was teenage pranks. It started around Halloween and ended before Thanksgiving. They thought it was just a fluke, and since it didn't come back again…."

"There were also a series of missing persons reports in November of that month from the same district. They were all filed by homeless shelters and halfway houses. No bodies," Joe added.

"How many?" Missy asked.

"Twenty. Twenty missing, but with out knowing his victim's profile, we can't figure out who just moved or who he took," Nancy answered.

"So what do you have on his victims, Joe?"

"The known victims all sought counseling. For different reasons, but they all sought counseling, and all through a program called Resurrection. It was started by the Gravedigger's churches in November of last year as a way to lower the suicide, drug, and violent crime rates," Joe answered, flipping through a stack of notes he had made.

"I remember that. It was started by Father Marks after two of his church youth were found dead, murder/suicide. Apparently, he had been counseling the boys after their parents found out that they were gay and through that counseling, one of them rejected the other. The rejected boy ended up killing them both. Father Marks called it a crime on youth by society, or something like that." Missy said.

"Who else worked on the program?" Nancy asked.

"A number of people, different churches and city people. Father Marks and his fellow Priest, Father Renny, were the front runners and leading forces behind it though," Joe answered.

"Sounds like those are the first two you need to talk," Nancy said to Missy and she nodded, lost in thought.

"I should talk to Leroy about getting warrants for the victims records. That may tell us why they were targeted," she said.

"No need," Joe spoke up, handing her file, "It's public record. Apparently all the victims were connected to a religious based psychology group that was studying the fear of dying. They were trying to see if having faith lessoned the fear of death or not. Each one of the victims filled out a questionnaire for them, and each one had some death related phobia."

Missy looked over this, taking in this new information, "Any one doctor work with all of them?"

"That I couldn't tell," Joe said.

"You think it may have something to do with the victim profile?" Nancy asked, hopeful.

"Well, it is a connection," Missy shrugged, "But it doesn't explain why he took Frank."

"Yeah it does," Joe said and the girls looked at him confused, "Frank was buried alive last year. Some one trying to get to dad…it almost killed him. Frank's been claustrophobic sense."

"Oh God," Missy whispered, horrified.

"What?" Joe asked, suddenly tense.

"All the others…he killed them how the person he dug up died. The body that he stole for Frank, he died from suffocation…oh God, I have to get Leroy, we got to hurry…" Missy exclaimed as she darted out of the room.

Joe was confused and scared and he looked over to Nancy who was pale faced and looked sick. He could tell that she knew something he didn't and it made his heart beat faster, "What's wrong?"

Nancy swallowed bile as she turned to look at her friend, "You should call your parents Joe…."

"Nancy, tell me what's wrong!"

Reluctantly Nancy nodded and said, "It takes longer to kill someone by burying them. Our time to find Frank has been cut in half…."

LINE

Frank had never been so cold in his life.

He lay, curled in a ball and shivering. He was exhausted and in pain, scared and blind. He had been lying in the same place since his 'bath' the night before with no sign of captor. His eyes, if possible, had swollen even more, rendering all vision nearly impossible. His broken nose had stopped bleeding, but now throbbed in time with his heartbeat and the massive head ach that still clouded his thoughts. To top it all off, the wounds on his back burned fiercely.

But in all his misery, Frank could still see the bright side of things. He could breath through his nose, which was a good sign for that kind of injury. He could still feel his limbs and he was still shivering which meant hypothermia hadn't completely set in. He was still a live and still able to think clearly. That was a good sign. And, probably the most important thing, Joe was out there looking for him. Joe would find him; he had found him before and he would do it again. This, Frank kept repeating to himself, even as his abductor returned to torture him father.

LINE

"No," Joe said again, "no."

"Joe, I'm sorry, I really am. We'll find him before it happens…" Nancy tried to sooth her clearly distraught friend.

"But Mary Wielder…her mother said she bleed to death!" Joe cried.

"No, the hospital said that. Mrs. Wielder was trying to prove her daughter had suffocated. I read the malpractice suite Joe…." Nancy tried again to reason with him.

"How did the killer know that, huh? How would he know?"

"Go over the profile Joe. He works at the counseling center! He knew all the victims and their fears! He probably worked with Mrs. Wielder too."

Something in Joe's eyes flashed as he raced to look through some files.

"What is it Joe?" Nancy asked seeing the focus on the younger Hardy that was so like Frank when he had stumbled over something big.

Joe didn't answer, just flipped through case files. Nancy stood bewildered watching him work. Finally, after Joe had searched all the files in front of him, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Missy's number.

"Hey Missy, it's Joe. Listen, then night you and Frank went to the graveyard and spoke with Father Marks, the night the brick was thrown….yeah…did Frank talk about being buried? Did he mention it at all? He did!" Joe felt his heart skip a beat and he couldn't decide if he should cheer or cry. "I have a suspect for you Missy! Father Marks, he's the killer, he's gotta be…No, listen, he was the consular to all the victims and to the families of the grave robberies…yes I'm sure. I'm positive. He has Frank…..Alright, Nan and I will meet you there."

Joe hung up and looked at Nancy who was staring at him, shocked. "Come on Nan, we gotta go. I'll drive," Joe said ignoring his friend's shock as he rushed past her. Nancy just followed him a little bewildered.

Had Joe Hardy really just solved this case in less then five minuets?

LINE

Frank moaned and whimpered as the knife sliced into his flesh yet again.

"You tried to crawl out of the earth and pretend to be the living. You refused to die Mary, but death is not a horror. You should not fear it…."

The knife sliced across Frank's skin yet again, adding to the forming pattern.

"I'm not Mary…" Frank whimpered, trying to hold on to his reason with the intensifying pain.

"I know, I know…you chose the name Gregory before you died. You tried to change your body because you thought God had made a mistake in your design. Is that why you fear death Mary? Because you think God will be angry with you for thinking he had made a mistake? He forgives all Mary. All who believe…."

"My name's Frank…Hardy…" Frank groaned out through clutched teeth as another cut was added.

"Shhhh…..all will be well again, you'll see. There, I have finished the prayer. Shall we prepare you for your burial?"

Frank's eyes widened and panic overrode all reason. "Please, no…no please don't…" he whispered, tears falling from his swollen eyes.

The Father softly brushed his hand over Frank's face and began to whisper a prayer that sounded like last rights, but Frank was too panicked to pay attention. He struggled violently to break free of his restraints only to receive a stab in his leg quickly followed by one in his shoulder. Frank screamed and fell still, trying hard to catch his breath as the prayers continued.

The Father picked something up off of the cart next to him and forced Frank's mouth closed. Frank was unable to see what was about to happen and to weak to struggle. The only thing he could do was whimper as a needle and cord were pushed through his lips sewing his mouth closed.

Once finished, the Father released Frank's head and moved on to the rest of his work. He took a piece of rope and began to replace the restraints on Frank with the rope, binding his victim's hands in front of him, then connecting them to and binding his feet. Frank was left completely immobile and unable to make a sound. He was terrified.

"I am sorry that I did not have the time to dig you a proper grave," the Father spoke softly as he lifted Frank and carried him over to a freezer. "But this will have to do," The Father lowered Frank into the tomb, and smiled when he saw that his victim just barely fit inside. "Well, it appears that this was made for you!" he chuckled warmly, apparently blind to Frank's panic. "Now, just wait right there, I have to go and get your other self," and the Father disappeared.

Frank renewed his struggles to escape but the stab wounds made it difficult and he was to weak. Too panicked; and as the Father returned Frank's efforts had nearly rendered him unconscious.

"Good! You're still here!" The Father joked as if he were talking with company at a social. "I have brought your other self so that the two of you could be together in death and go hand in hand to God."

It was at this point that Frank saw the rotting body the Father had with him and a memory from one of the police files flashed in his mind.

_The bodies were placed together when the victim was killed._

Frank shook his head from side to side, his eyes as wide as they could be. The Father was going to incase both he and the corpse in the freezer…

And as the thought sent new waves of panic through Frank, the action was already being taken. The Father was lowering the body onto Frank, face down and Frank was clearly able to see the signs of decay on the flesh. It made bile rise in his throat and he couldn't keep back fear filled sobs.

The smell reached him at the same time the slimy flesh touched his legs and maggots fell off onto his chest. He retched then, but was forced to swallow it back so he didn't suffocate. He prayed for death in this moment and shut his eyes tightly, trying to hide from the horror.

The Father did not notice and finished laying the body on top of Frank. He then closed the freezer and locked it, sealing Frank's fate.


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Missy hug up the phone and cursed silently to herself. Of all the possible suspects she would never have guessed the kindly Father, though now a lot of things made sense. She was silent for a minuet as she ran off the checklist in her head of connections that could be made to the Father and killer, again cursing her blindness.

"It's not your fault Woodrow, do not blame yourself," Jenkins said gruffly from the drivers seat as he sped towards the church. He had listened to the conversation between Missy and Joe silently, cursing his own blindness.

"You first Leroy," Missy replied, indicating she sensed his self-berating.

"That's not important now. What is important is that we get to Frank. Joe and Nancy will meet us there?" Leroy asked, forcing Missy and himself back to the here and now.

"Yes, as well as who ever dispatched sends. We don't have a warrant," Missy added.

"You, Joe, and Nancy aren't police officers. One of you get inside and call for help, that's all we need. Barely legal, but no judge is going to care on this one. Besides, we don't need a warrant when searching city property for a missing person."

"The church isn't city property," Missy began.

"But the grave yard is. And if you're going to burry someone alive, why not start there?" Jenkins replied.

Missy nodded, truth be told she didn't care about the legality of the situation. All she wanted was to get Frank out alive. She'd worry about the trial later.

The pair of detectives pulled up to the church almost at the same time Joe and Nancy did. They were all barely parked before every one was out and heading for the church.

"Joe, Nancy," Leroy barked causing the pair to stop, "I want you two to break into the basement from the back and call for help. That'll allow the uniforms access. I'll search the graveyard; Missy, you talk to Marks. That way everything stays nice and legal and we can fry this bastard at trial. Just all three of you be careful."

The three younger detectives nodded silently in agreement and moved to follow their orders. Each was grimed faced and determined. They were going to find Frank.

Line

Missy couldn't shake the wrongness that surrounded her. She couldn't shake the emotions that filled her or the voices that whispered to her.

_Hot. Heavy. Thin…_

_He couldn't breath…_

_He couldn't see._

_He couldn't scream…_

…_His hell…_

_Woe to you Missy Woo,_

_Now we get to meet you…_

_A brown haird boy…_

_The prize of some dark and twisted game…_

_He couldn't breath…_

_Shadows set in…_

"Good morning Ms. Woodrow, how can I help you?" Father Marks greeted warmly, appearing from the back of the sanctuary.

Missy startled and took a step back from the approaching Father.

He chuckled, "Did I spook you? I'm sorry. I was making some coffee, would you like any?"

"No…thank you…" Missy began, keeping him in sight, her hand unconsciously drifted to the gun that she was carrying on her belt, hidden by her coat.

He paused in his movements to study her, he could tell that something was wrong and he was suspicious, "What can I do for you Ms. Woodrow?"

"I need to ask you a few questions…"

The voices in Missy's head gave a collective hiss and unconsciously, she brought a hand to her temple.

The Father noticed this, and stepped closer, curiously; "More questions? About what this time?"

"Frank Hardy…I mean, Marry Wielder…Gregory. I need to ask a few questions about Gregory…" Missy said distracted.

The Father stepped closer, he was almost at arm's length, and still eyeing Missy suspiciously, "You hear them, don't you?"

_Woe to you Missy woo…blood has been cried, tears have been spilled…woe to you…_

"Yes, you can hear them…" the Father whispered as he reached out for her.

Missy instantly pulled out her gun and pointed it at him, halting his movements. "Where is he? What did you do with him?" she demanded.

"I have given him peace, I have reset the balance of nature. Mary is back where she belongs."

"But what did you do with Frank?" Missy hissed, trying to drown out the voices raging in her mind.

"I have put the two halves together. They will go hand in hand to God. Listen to them Melissa, listen to them…give in to their song."

_A brown haired boy…_

_He couldn't breath…_

_Shadows set in…_

_A brown haired girl died a man…_

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Missy hissed both to the Father and the voices, unaware that her gun hand was shaking. The Father noticed however.

He dove at her, trying to take her gun, but Missy was able to dodge and ran for the Church offices, the Father in pursuit.

LINE

He could feel them burrowing into his skin through the cuts on his stomach and the stab wounds. He knew that they were going to start to eat the flesh around the wounds and tried to console himself that this would keep infection at bay. That it was still done in medicine today, having maggots eat rotten flesh. But somehow, it just didn't help. So he tried to focus just on passing out; that was easier.

The smell alone was enough to knock him out. He had already been forced to swallow his vomit about three times and he hated to think what that was doing to his body, though he doubted that it would matter in the end. The pressure of the body on his chest and the depleting air source made the vomit and even the maggots a mute point. And if he could just pass out, then he wouldn't care. All the pain and all the terror, it would all disappear.

_But passing out would mean death, _a voice that sounded an awful like Joe's, whispered in his head. _You can't die Frank. You gotta fight. You gotta stay awake._

Frank heard himself whimper, because he knew that he couldn't deny Joe anything, not even this. There would be no escaping his hell now.

LINE

Jenkins' keen eyes roamed over the graveyard carefully. He was looking for any sign that may mean a new grave, though he doubted that the Father would have buried Frank here. There just wouldn't have been enough time to dig the grave and place Frank in it, then burry it…not even a shallow one could be done in secretary. But Jenkins still looked, not wanting to take the chance and wanting to remain close to the back and basement where Joe and Nancy were breaking in.

He wanted to keep an eye on the two young detectives, though he worried about Missy, but she at least carried a gun. Nancy and Joe weren't legally able to, and they were going into the heart of hell. At least, that was the impression Jenkins had of that basement. He couldn't explain it if he tried, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that, that basement was where Marks killed his victims. It would make sense, nobody, not even the care takers, had been down to the basement in years. There was no telling what they'd find, and Jenkins just hoped it wasn't Marks or, for Joe's sake, Frank's body.

"God help us, please…" Jenkins whispered as he watched the two teen detectives disappear into the basement. Behind him, sirens were quickly approaching.

LINE

Joe and Nancy entered the basement through a broken window. It was a tight fit, but they both made it. They stood still for a moment as their eyes adjusted to the light before they began to look around. What they saw made their hearts stop.

There was no sign of Frank, but there were signs of where he had been and what he had suffered. They had to move into the back of the basement, towards an unused room that was almost completely in shadow, but there was still enough light to see the horrors. There was a table, like the kind you see in a morgue, with straps placed around it at different points and a small cart. The cart held bloody tools and there was some blood on the table that made Joe sick. Off to one corner were chains that were hanging from the rafters and more spots of blood. Not a pool like under the table, but little spots. Looking around the room, there were a lot of places that were spotted with blood and both Joe and Nancy knew that it couldn't all come from one person.

A little farther into the room was a caged area with a neck shackle. It was there that Joe and Nancy found the remains of Frank's cloths. Both felt their horror grow at the realization, and the need to find Frank grew.

"What do we do Nancy? Where would he put him?" Joe asked, trying his hardest not to give in to the urge to vomit.

"He wanted to burry him. I don't think he would have had time to dig a grave…look for places he could put him…" Nancy suggested.

"Like a deep freezer?" Joe called as he made his way over to the deep freezer. He had zeroed in on the object while Nancy was speaking. It just seemed so out of place….

"Exactly," Nancy agreed, looking at the object.

"Pad lock," Joe called, "Look for something to break it with and hurry!"

"Or, just get out of my way," Nancy said as she joined Joe, pulling a bobby pin from her hair. In no time at all she had the lock open.

"Nancy, go get Jenkins," Joe said before he opened the freezer.

"Joe…" Nancy began, but the look Joe gave her left no room for argument. Whatever was in that freezer, Joe wanted to face it alone. "I'll be back." Nancy turned and left quickly, letting Joe face his nightmare alone.

Joe ignored Nancy and focused on the freezer. He took a deep breath and pushed it open….


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Missy ran towards the back offices, which were the ones that looked into the graveyard. She could hear Marks behind her, keeping pace with her, but she was already near the offices.

She reached the first open one and nearly dove in, slamming the door shut behind her. She quickly locked the door and moved behind the desk by the window. She aimed her gun at the door while at the same time calling for Jenkins.

"Jenkins, help me!" she screamed through the glass, praying that the detective, or any other police officer, was near enough to hear.

Outside the office she heard Marks approach and stop. She heard the rattle of keys and whispered a silent prayer before shouting, "I have my gun pointed at the door. I will fire Marks. Do not enter."

LINE

Nancy reached the window that Joe and she had crawled through, her heart racing.

"Jenkins! Help!" She called, praying that someone would hear her, "We need medics!"

"Did you find him? Is he alive?" Came a voice that Nancy didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" she called, trying to peer up through the window to see.

A young police officer came into view quickly and Nancy breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm Officer Jones. Jenkins already in the church. Did you find him ma'am?"

"He's with his brother…we need medics. Fast," Nancy said.

"Alright, I'll send them down just as soon as we get the all clear from Jenkins."

Nancy nodded, now all she could do was pray Frank was going to be fine.

LINE

The moment that Jenkins heard Missy shout, he was making his way inside. He was fortunate enough to have back up, as the uniformed officers had arrived with a warrant, but it really wouldn't have mattered. Jenkins was the first through the door, and making his way towards the back offices where he had heard Missy.

He reached the back hallway and braced against the doorframe. "Missy!" he called, glancing into the hallway. He couldn't see anybody, but that didn't mean anything in a hallway full of doors.

"Third office on the right!" Missy called.

Jenkins waited for the other officers to catch up to him before he entered the hallway. Jenkins took point, moving slowly through the office and clearing each room until he reached the one Missy was held up in.

"Missy, I'm outside. Open the door," Jenkins said.

A few moments later the door opened a crack and Missy peeked out.

"He's gone Missy," Jenkins said.

"Damn. What about Frank?"

Before Jenkins could answer, a young officer came in and calling, "We found the missing boy! He's in the basement!"

LINE

Joe pushed the lid off the freezer, and nearly lost his lunch. He was hit instantly with the smell of decomp and the sight of the body, he had to look away and take several deep breaths before he could even call for his brother.

"Frank?" Joe called, his voice a little choked, when he was finally able to look back into the freezer. He had to focus really hard on not looking at the body, a not so easy task.

"Frank, can you hear me?" Joe called again. This time he was rewarded with a moan coming from under the body. "Frank, hang on," Joe said, an urgent energy filling him as he ignored his disgust and lifted the decaying body out of the freezer. He carefully set it on the ground and went back for Frank. What he saw made him freeze in his tracks.

Frank was covered in blood and decomp from the body. There were insects crawling around the knife wounds that dotted his torso. His eyes were swollen shut and his mouth was stitched closed. His face was pale except for two fever spots on his checks. He was also still, very still. If it wasn't for the occasional head roll or the rise and fall of his chest, Joe would have thought he was dead. As it was, Joe wasn't sure.

The youngest Hardy boy reached out a shaky hand and ran it through his brother's hair, causing him to flinch. "It's alright Frank…I got you…" Joe murmured, trying to blink back tears while keeping his voice calm.

Frank shifted towards his brother's voice, but the movement caused him pain and he groaned. His eyelashes fluttered a bit, but he couldn't open his eyes.

"It's alight Frank. I got ya," Joe whispered, focusing on his brother's eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the other horrors.

"Joe!" Nancy called as she approached with the paramedics.

"Over here," Joe responded, never looking away from his brother.

Moments later, Joe found himself being pulled away from Frank by Nancy as the paramedics went to tend to his brother. Joe walked in a daze, allowing Nancy to lead him to the churchyard. Everything around him was a blur of color and motion. He could sense Nancy speaking to him, but he could hear or understand what she was saying. His vision was tunneled and his head was whirling.

The moment Joe reached the churchyard; he fell to his knees and vomited.


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

"So, there's no sign of him at all?" Missy asked as she, Nancy, and Jenkins sat in a private waiting room of the ER.

"None," Jenkins answered, "But there's a BOLO out. We've set up roadblocks and staked out his house. We'll catch him."

"He better hope you get him before my father does," Joe said as he entered the room.

The young detective was pale and still shaky. His eyes held none of their normal humor or mischief and his face lacked it's normal happy go lucky grin. It was clear that everything was taking its toll on the young man and no one was sure how Joe was still standing.

"I take it that means you got through to your parents then?" Nancy asked softly, patting the spot next to her.

Joe nodded and flopped down on the offered seat. "Yeah. They reach Florida Keys in about three hours. Jack, my dad's pilot friend, is on his way down to meet them. They'll be here about ten tonight. Any news on Frank?"

"Nothing yet," Missy answered, "Why don't you try to get some sleep."

Joe just nodded; he didn't feel like trying to explain to anyone that he wouldn't be able to sleep ever again. Or at least, not as long as the image of Frank lying in that freezer was burned into his memory. So he did the next best thing, he stared at the ceiling and tried to block out the conversation around him.

"We should keep uniforms posted outside Frank's room," Missy said softly, still eyeing Joe.

"And one of us should stay with him," Nancy added.

"Already got that covered," Jenkins reassured. "And I'm pretty sure Joe is up for baby sitting," the detective joked, trying to lighten the oppressive mood in the room.

For that, Joe gave his a grateful smile, "Yeah…I'll babysit him…"

The four fell into worried silence, and time passed slowly. It seemed like a lifetime before a doctor came in.

"Joe Hardy?"

"That's me Doc," Joe said, climbing slowly to his feet.

The doctor looked around the room, "And you all are?" he asked.

Jenkins stood and showed the doctor his badge, "Mr. Hardy in a victim in a case that we are investigating."

The doctor nodded, his suspicions put at ease for the moment, "Mr. Hardy, I'm Dr. Paul, I'm the one who treated your brother in the ER. I want to first reassure you that your brother is stable. He is in critical care, but he is in remarkably good shape for what he's been through."

Joe let out a breath he didn't know he was holding; he had never felt more relieved in his life, "You have no idea how good that news is Doc."

The Dr. Paul gave Joe a tired smile, "I think I can risk a guess," he said before growing serious again. "But I have to tell you, that he's still not in good shape, he's better then expected but he's still in critical condition. He's lost a fair amount of blood, he's hypothermic, there is a high risk of the wounds becoming infected, and he has a broken nose. He got luckily with the stab wounds, they're mostly superficial and can simply be stitched closed. Right now, we do not have to put him on a ventilator, but as his temperature rises, there is a chance he could contract a cold or phenomena, and then we would have to vent him. Our biggest concerns at the moment, however, are the threat of infection and his temperature."

Joe nodded, understanding what the doctor was saying but really only caring about two things; "Is he awake? Can I see him?"

Dr. Paul smiled and nodded, "He has been in and out of sleep since he arrived. We have him on a morphine drip and they're settling him in the ICU. I'll have a nurse come and get you when they're done."

LINE

It had been several hours since Frank's rescue. He was now comfortably settled in a private room in the ICU. Joe had not left since he had been allowed in. Missy and Jenkins had gone to the police station to help search for Marks. Nancy had stayed to keep an eye on Joe.

It was now eight o'clock, and Frank was still showing no signs of waking up. The doctors had warned Joe that it might take him awhile to wake up. Once his temperature was back in a normal range, he should show more signs of activity, but for now he just needed sleep.

Joe sighed, and stood up, stretching his back. He stared out the window into the night. A light snowstorm had moved in, dusting the city in a blanket of white. The combination of snow and Christmas lights was mesmerizing and Joe found himself staring off into space.

That was how Nancy found him several minutes later. "Hey you," she called softly, stepping into the room.

Joe looked over his shoulder and gave her a soft smile before looking out the window again. "Where do you think he is?" Joe asked softly.

"I don't know, but I can tell you where he isn't. Missy just checked in, they've narrowed their search down. They're closing in on him Joe."

Joe just nodded, and turned from the window to look at his brother. "He looks like a mummy…" Joe teased as he studied his brother. It was true though; Frank's torso and arms were covered in bandages, and there was a bandage wrapped around his eyes. He had several IV and monitor lines running into him as well as an oxygen mask covering his face. All of this served to make Frank look years younger then eighteen.

Nancy looked over to Frank and smiled, "He kind of does…" she shook her head and sighed. "When was the last time you ate Joe?"

"I don't know. I'm not hungry…"

"Joe Hardy, I will not let you starve yourself."

"Nan, I'm fine. I'm not hungry, besides, I hate hospital food…"

"Go…eat…" a horsed voice ordered causing Nancy and Joe to pause and stare over at the bed.

"Frank?" Joe asked, making his way over to the bed. He smiled, his first real smile in days, when he saw Frank was moving his head from side to side. Joe rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his brother's brow to keep him from dislodging the bandages.

"Can't…see…" Frank complained.

"You're eyes are bandaged," Joe said softly, "You're ok, brother. You're safe now."

Frank nodded slightly.

"How are you feeling?" Joe asked him.

"Cold…Heard Nancy?" was the tired reply.

"I'm here Frank," Nancy piped in.

"Hi…" Frank yawned.

Nancy laughed, "Hi yourself."

"Do you hurt?" Joe asked.

"Little…not bad…" Frank claimed, but Joe knew it was a lie.

"I'll get a nurse…" Joe began but Frank shook his head.

"You eat. Nancy get nurse…" Frank chocked out.

Nancy laughed, "You're out numbered Joe."

Joe sighed, he knew he wasn't going to win, "Fine. I'll get some food. Nancy will get a nurse. I'll be right back? Alright?"

Frank nodded, and Joe had the suspicion that his brother was starting to drift off again. Joe looked up at Nancy, beaming. Nancy mirrored the look, "I'll give Missy a call as well. This'll be some much needed good news."

LINE

"Hey Nan, what's up?" Missy answered on the third ring. She was tired and frustrated, and it was clear in her voice.

"I have good news. Frank woke up," Nancy said excitedly.

"That's great! Thanks Nan, that's really good news…" Missy said, genuine happiness in her voice.

"Anything new on your end?" Nancy asked.

"No, not really - "

At that moment, Jenkins come into Missy's office, furious.

"I got to go Nan. Call you right back," Missy said quickly before hanging up the phone. "What's happened?"

"The story leaked. Some reporter made it public that Frank is alive and which hospital he's in," Jenkins growled.

"Fuck," Missy snapped, slamming her fist on the desk. "Which channel? Can you get them to pull the story?"

"Captin's trying, but it's probably already too late. I've sent more uniforms to the hospital. Better grab your coat, we gotta go."

Missy nodded, "I'll call Joe on the way."


	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Frank drifted on the fringes of sleep. His body had started to shiver, aggregating every ach and pain he had so sleep would be impossible for the time being. Then there was also the fact that he was still completely terrified. Every time he started to drift off he'd either visualize the knife cutting him or the decomposing body on top of him. Then there were the bandages constricting him, which reminded him of the freezer….

Frank desperately wished for his family. He sighed in frustration at being so physically and emotionally helpless. He was suppose to be an adult, how could he let himself be so scared?

"_You're ok brother. You're safe now," _Joe's words echoed in Frank's head. And he wanted to scream that he wasn't ok, and that he didn't feel safe, but he just couldn't find the strength to.

A thud outside of Frank's room caught his attention, snapping him out of his thoughts. The door opened and somebody entered the room. Frank felt a knot form in his stomach, he could have sworn he recognized the footsteps. He tried to push himself up farther in the bed, but couldn't quite get the leverage to.

It didn't matter much anyways, as the person who had entered the room reached the bed and put their hand on Frank's chest, pushing him back down. The other hand pulled the oxygen mask off of Frank's face.

"You can not escape Divine rule Mary," Father Marks whispered before picking up Frank's pillow and covering the youth's face.

LINE

Joe fumbled with the sandwich and drink in his hand as he reached for his phone. He had just cleared the elevator on his way back to his brother's room. Finally, he managed to answer his phone.

"Joe - "

"Joe, Marks knows where Frank is! Do not leave him alone!"

Joe felt his blood chill as he looked down the hallway. He could see Nancy talking to one of the Nurses but he couldn't see the police officer that was posted at Frank's door.

"Missy, he's here!" Joe said before dropping everything in his hand and sprinting towards his brother.

Joe reached the room and found Marks smothering Fank. There was a moment that Joe froze, unsure of what he should do, but the moment passed as soon as he heard his brother's muffled scream. With an outraged yell, Joe charged Marks, startling the murderer. Marks turned to face his attacker, dropping the pillow, just as Joe hit him.

The two smacked into the wall, exchanging punches. Joe got a good hit to Marks stomach, only to receive a blow to his jaw that sent him reeling into Frank's bed. Marks was off after that, heading for the door.

"Frank?" Joe called, as he steadied himself. He could hear his brother coughing and sucking in air, but he gave him a thumbs up and that was all Joe needed.

Joe charged out the door, almost knocking into Nancy and a nurse.

"Joe, what's - " Nancy began.

"Stay with Frank!" was all the words Joe had to spare before he followed Marks into the stairwell.

LINE

Missy and Jenkins arrived just in time to see Joe disappear into a stairwell and Nancy and a nurse rush into Frank's room. With out wasting a second, Missy and Jenkins headed to the room. Jenkins took position at the stairwell while Missy at the door, both with guns drawn.

"Nancy?" Missy called.

"We're fine. Joe went after Marks," came the rushed replay.

Missy glanced into the room. The nurse was busy resetting Frank's breathing mask while Nancy tried to keep her friend restrained. From down the hall, Missy could hear other nurses rushing over to help. As far as she could tell, everything would be under control down here shortly.

She looked up at Jenkins and gave a quick nod.

Jenkins entered the stairwell, with Missy straight at his heels. They were just in time to hear the door closing at the very top of the stairs.

"It's always the goddamn roof," Jenkins growled as he and Missy took the stairs two at a time.

LINE

Joe hit the roof moments after Marks, but apparently that was enough time for the murder to disappear. Carefully, Joe moved farther out onto the roof, eyes scanning the dark. All of the young man's senses were on high alert, his body on edge.

"This is another stupid situation you've gotten yourself into Joe…" he thought to himself as he cautiously moved around.

Joe could see no sign of Marks in the night, and it worried him. There were plenty of places for him to hide and wait Joe out or worse. And it was from one of those places that Marks emerged from, charging into Joe. The two stumbled back into to the wall that lined the edge of the roof. There, they struggled, exchanging blows.

Joe was getting the worst of it, as he was the one pressed against the wall. He received two blows to his stomach and one to his jaw. The blow to his jaw sent Joe reeling, over the edge of the roof.


	40. Chapter 39

**A/N**

Sorry this took so long, I was out of town for Thanksgiving.

And just a request, I got a review last chapter that was a little offending. I understand that everyone has their favorite Hardy brother, but please understand that in my stories I try to be as realistic as I can be. There wasn't a way that I could have Frank thrown off a roof that would be viable and that's just the way it is. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but please word your response better. If you want me to finish the story, then don't be rude, I don't write if I'm annoyed.

For the rest of my reviewers, thank you. I do value your reviews and appreciate that you take the time to read my stories.

Tye

**Chapter 39**

The instant Joe felt himself falling back, he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He was too off balance to stop from going over the edge. His only hope was that he could hold onto the edge long enough for backup to come. So there he hung, six stories up from the street, clinging to the roof's edge, with a serial killer looming over.

Joe breathed a silent prayer as he looked from the drop that faces him to the murderer who seemed to be warring with himself...

"No…I can't…he's not one…no! I can't! He's alive…" Marks raved with growing agitation as he paced back and forth in front of Joe, franticly rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair.

Joe's grip slipped slightly, causing Joe to cry out. His cry stopped Marks' chaotic pacing and mumbling and the father came over to stand over Joe.

"They say I can't help you…" The father said, his voice hollow.

Joe looked up at Marks, his eyes pleading, "Please…Father…." Joe swallowed; he had no idea what to do. His grip was quickly loosening and his only hope of living was the crazy man who had tried to kill his brother. Things could not have been worse for him at the moment.

"I'm sorry…" the father said, crouching down, "They say you must die."

"But why?" Joe asked, "I…I've never been dead before…."

Joe held his breath, hoping that he could use the father's logic against him. It was a tactic that he had seen Frank use more then once, but something he had never tried. He just hopped he could get it right, and fast. His arms were growing tired.

"I know…but they order it…they say…" Marks mumbled.

"They aren't here, are they?" Joe asked as he felt his grip slip more.

"But they see all. They know all…"

"But I was never dead. If you kill me now, you'll break the rules…" Joe tried again.

"There can be exceptions made…the girl was an exception…"

"But is that right? Are they always right?" Joe asked.

Marks stared at Joe for a long moment, considering what the youth had asked. Joe, for his part, locked eyes with Marks and held his breath. His arms were growing more and more tired and his grip was slowly weakening. His time was short and he knew it.

Finally, Marks stood and shook his head, "I'm sorry. They have judge you."

Joe felt his body go numb. He watched in slow motion as Marks prepared to stomp his foot down on Joe's hands. Marks raised his foot, Joe closed his eyes and lowered his head, and a gun went off. Marks screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his leg.

"Joe?" Missy shouted, and Joe breathed a sigh of relief.

"Here!" Joe called. "Hurry!" he added as he looked down.

He didn't have to tell Missy or Jenkins twice. Both detectives rushed over to the edge of the roof and while Missy kept Marks covered, Jenkins pulled Joe back up.

Joe heaved a huge sigh of relief as he crawled back onto the roof. For a moment, after Jenkins let him go, he lay on his back just staring up at the sky.

"Joe, you alright?" Missy asked, a worried frown on her face as she looked down at her friend. Jenkins had Marks in handcuffs and was radioing to security to get a gurnny.

"Peachy," Joe said as he propped himself up on his elbows, "What took you so long?"

Missy gave him a small laugh and a smile as she offered her hand to him, "Jenkins doesn't like heights.'

Joe excepted the hand up gratefully, "Can't say I blame him."

"You hear _Them_! I know you hear Them!" Marks exclaimed suddenly, his eyes burning into Missy's. "You heard Them! You know what they are! You can't ignore Them!"

Missy stiffened as she met Marks' insane stare. The man scared her, if only because he was telling the truth; she could hear them and she did know what they were…

"Marks, they lied. They aren't real, they're only in your head," Missy said solemnly as she turned to head inside with Joe.

"Liar!" Marks screamed after her, "Liar!"

LINE

Joe paced nervously outside his brother's room. The doctors, according to Nancy, had been in with him since Joe chased Marks off. No one would tell them how Frank was and the door was closed. Nancy and Missy, who stood by the door, watched Joe nervously; neither knew what to do to help ease the stress the younger man was under.

"It's been twenty minuets," Joe grumbled, pausing his pacing," What's taking so long?"

"I don't know Joe," Nancy said calmly, "but we'll find out as soon as they finish."

Joe gave an aggravated sigh and ran a hand through his hair in a similar fashion to Frank. 'He's fine,' Joe told himself, 'he said he was fine, so he's fine…'

Joe's thoughts were interrupted by the door to Frank's room opening and the doctor coming out. "Mr. Hardy?" the doctor called.

"How's my brother?" Joe asked hestatly.

The doctor gave him a small smile, "You two ever been told you sound like broken records? He's been asking the same thing. Go a head in and see him, but do get him excited. We were just able to get his breathing back to normal and I don't want a repeat."

"Yes sir, thank you sir," Joe said, already moving past the doctor to his brother.

Nancy and Missy exchanged eye rolls and followed Joe inside; Nancy mumbling, "One track Hardys…"

Inside, the nurses were just finishing up getting Frank settled. The older Hardy looked a little flushed and peeked as he sat propped up with pillows. There was a slight blue tint to his lips that was slowly fading. As the nurses finished, Joe stepped up to his brother's side, carefully taking his hand.

Frank twisted slightly, startled.

"Hey, it's alright. Just me Frank," Joe said softly.

"You…ok…?" Frank gasped out, his voice sounding tired.

"I'm fine, Frank. Everyone's fine. We got him," Joe said, "We got him."

Frank squeezed his brother's hand as tight as he could as he took a deep sigh of relief.

Maybe now, the nightmare would end.


	41. Epilogue

Flight, I wanted to assure you that it wasn't your review. In fact, your review is what helped me finish the last chapter.

Epilogue

December 23

Frank stared out the window of his hospital room watching the snowfall. He was restless and frustrated at being stuck in the bed, but he was still recovering from pneumonia. The doctors were talking about letting him out with in the next few days, just in time for Christmas.

The pneumonia had been a lot worse then anyone thought and they had, had to put Frank on a vent. That meant he had to spend most of December in an induced coma so he wouldn't pull on his lines. Now, he had been fully conscious for the past two days and much of the drugs he had been on were out of his system. His injuries were mostly healed and he was looking much more like himself. Too bad he wasn't feeling like himself.

He was scared of everything now. Every time he closed his eyes he could see the body on top of him and feel the air growing stale and thin. There were some nights where he couldn't sleep for the memories and very rarely could he stand to be alone.

It didn't help that Joe had left, being forced to return to school by his parents. Nancy too had been drawn back to her studies shortly after, though she called regularly. Missy and Jenkins stopped by to give updates on the case, but for the most part, it was just Frank and his mom. And while his mom was the perfect person to comfort him, there were things that Frank couldn't tell her and things that only someone who was there could understand.

Missy had told Frank that there wasn't going to be a trial, that Marks was deemed unfit to stand trial and remanded to a state psychiatric hospital until he could. While the relief of not having to go through a trial was a big one, Frank still wanted his brother around. It was hard to deal with everything with out Joe.

"Frank, honey," Laura called softly as she entered the room, "you awake?"

"Yeah mom," Frank said with a yawn, "I'm awake. Just watching the snow fall."

Laura smiled and moved to stand next to her son, "Yeah, the storm is moving up north. It'll hit Bayport by midweek. It's going to be a white Christmas."

"Yeah…" Frank murmured as he stared back out the window.

Laura sighed to herself; it was times like these that she wished for the days that all of her boys' hurts could be fixed with a kiss from mom.

"You will be home for Christmas, Frank. I promise," she said softly as she ruffled Frank's hair.

Frank looked up at his mom with a 'yeah right' expression, "Christmas is two days away mom."

"Oh, don't you give me that look Franklin Hardy. Do you think I would lie to you?" Laura scolded, trying very hard not to ruin her surprise.

"You told me there was a Santa Clause…" Frank said with a shrug.

Laura laughed, "Oh you were a baby! And I had to think of some way to keep you from getting into everything!"

Frank gave his mom a cheeky grin, "didn't work too well on Joe…"

Laura laughed again, "Nothing worked on Joe, and I never had the heart to give him coal…"

Frank laughed softly before his thoughts drifted back to the snow burying the earth like he was almost buried… Frank inhaled sharply as the thought weaved its way into his attention. He began to tremble and his breathing came in short gasps as memories began to over power him.

Laura, who had grown accustom to her son's anxiety attacks, quickly took action. She gripped his hand tightly with one hand and began to rub circles on his back with the other. She whispered soft, soothing nonsense to her son as he tried to work through the nightmare.

It took a couple of minutes for Frank to work through it, but he did. Still, Laura held onto him and Frank leaned into his mother's touch. "Sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"For what?" Laura said softly as she kissed Frank's forehead. She hugged her son for a moment longer before releasing him. "Now, I think it's time for you to get some sleep…"

"Mom…I've been asleep for a month…" Frank groaned as his mother tried to push him back to the pillows.

"Well, you're going to have a busy day tomorrow…" Laura said.

"Doing what? Sitting in a hospital bed?" Frank grumbled.

"Or sitting on a plane. I vote plane," came Joe's voice from the doorway, "What about you dad?"

"I vote plane too," Fenton said as he smiled at his son.

Frank stared, dumbfounded at his father and brother, completely surprised at their sudden appearance. Joe and Fenton laughed at Frank's surprise, both coming over to his side.

"Hi ya brother! Happy to see us?" Joe asked sitting on the edge of Frank's bed.

"Why…? How…? What's going on?" Frank asked looking from his brother to his father and then to his mother.

"Really, Frank? Jeez, for such a smart guy you are pretty clueless," Joe teased, earning a glare from his brother and a swat from his father.

Laura just beamed down at her son, "Well, the doctor said you could go home tomorrow and so Jack flew you father and brother down, and he's waiting to take us all home again tomorrow afternoon. Just in time for Christmas."

Frank returned his mother's smile, "Maybe you didn't lie about Santa Clause."

Laughter filled the small hospital room and for the first time since waking up, Frank felt safe.


End file.
